Shop Talk
Subtle Beauty
G
Hot Spots
Be® Views
Shibumi Gallery
1402 Fifth St.
Berkeley, CA 94710
510-528-7736
shibumigallery.com
“I like making things look
good,” says the jeweler/galler-
ist April HigashiG, be it the
right accessory on a client or the
warm, serene, “earthy-modern”
environment of Shibumi, which
offers contemporary art, jew-
elry and clothing by established
and emerging makers, including
Biba Schütz, Eric Silva and Kar-
en Gilbert, who made
Towered
Earrings
O,
Antler Necklace®
and
Seed
G, respectively.
How did you become an artist?
My grandfather was an artist.
He was Japanese American, and
more kinesthetic about the way
he interacted with me when I
was young. Instead of talking,
he took me drawing. I was al-
ways naturally drawn to visual
things, touching; that’s how I
learned. He was a big influence.
M y mom cultivated that and
put me around a lot of art.
I was raised in Salt Lake City,
which is kind of an unlikely
place for someone who’s not
white and not Mormon. I just
always was used to being differ-
ent and enjoyed seeking out
individuality because I was al-
ready in that place anyway.
I knew I wanted to live some-
place more multicultural, so
1
came to San Francisco for
school, and got a degree in tex-
tiles and fine art [at the Acad-
emy of Art University]. I was
interested in fashion, but really
liked the process of making.
W hy did you open a gallery?
I’ve always loved presenting
things. My jewelry only felt
complete when it was displayed
properly. A11 environment af-
fects me because I’m aestheti-
cally drawn, but I think it’s re-
ally important even for people
who aren’t aware of aesthetics.
It affects them on a subliminal
level and they feel more at ease.
With jewelry, context is so im-
portant—who’s buying the work
and how it looks on them, as
much as the way it’s presented.
I like things to have a place.
My husband, Eric Powell, is
a metal sculptor, and he made all
of our cases. One, for rings, has
counterweights in it and a door
that slides up; it’s a beautiful
experience for people. I carry
nontraditional commitment and
wedding rings, such as Todd
Reed’s
Rose Cut Diamond Eter-
nity Rands®,
and that’s been a
good base for my clientele, be-
cause you build such a relation-
ship with people. It’s very inti-
mate. They enjoy coming back,
and they’ll buy gifts and move
into other areas of the gallery.
You offer different services—
events, visual consultation.
I do four to five shows a year,
plus trunk shows to introduce
clients to an artist’s work. I also
do consulting. One of my clients
who is a big art jewelry collector
hired me to hang all of her art-
work. We also built her a beauti-
ful display where people could
see her jewelry. She found a
really interesting table and we
put felt in it and cut slits where
all the jewelry could go, and
arranged all the drawers.
What’s the meaning of
shibumi?
A subtle and deeply moving
beauty cherished by artists and
connoisseurs.—
J.L.
Gallery shows, listed A -Z by
state. View complete calendar:
americancraftmag.org
AR / Little Rock
Arkansas Arts Center
52nd Annual Delta Exhibition
Jan. 29-Mar. 14
arkarts.com
Encompassing contemporary
works in all media, this com-
petitive exhibition reflects the
Mississippi Delta region’s
strong tradition of
craftsmanship.
C A / Los Angeles
Fowler Museum at U C L A
Grass Roots: African Origins
ofan American A A
tojan. 10
fowler.ucla.edu
A celebration of basketry by
Africans in America from
the 17th century to the present.
CA / Oceanside
Oceanside Museum of Art
A n American Dream: Gregg Jabs
tojan. 10
oma-online.org
In a body of figural sculpture
Jabs probes the American
Dream with wry humor.
dec/jan 10
american craft on
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