My intense investigations into the culture and art of Japan, especially their method of presenting objects, began at the start of my quest for a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree.  I was intrigued with a particular class offering - Fibers, but was drawn, even more so, to the professor who taught this concentration.  Akiko Kotani, an international artist and instructor at Slippery Rock University, taught weaving, dyeing, and papermaking.  It was during a summer papermaking seminar that the influence of my Japanese studies could be witnessed as I embarked to teach myself traditional binding methods.  A small woman who was born and raised in Hawaii, Akiko once said to me upon review of my hundreds of sheets of recently 'hand-made' paper and bound journals, "Sometimes, I think that you are more Japanese than I!"

This was a compliment from someone who did not give them easily.  A tough cookie at times, Akiko demanded perfection and expected her students to deliver.  I believe her amazement of my focus and work was often mixed with feelings of genuine frustration as I continually reworked my designs and ideas to near obsession.  Possibly originating from my early days of study with the architects or my innate attention to detail, my name on my work represents laborious hours and dedication.  It was this characteristic of both my work and myself that I believe Akiko so recognized as typically Japanese.

Nearing the final days in my Art Education methods class, the instructor posed a challenge to the class -- choose something that you are passionate about, create a lesson tailored to secondary education students, and deliver the lesson to our class of future teachers.  Glenn Grishkoff who had studied pottery for years in Japan was our professor, but more importantly, he was an influential member of my pre-teaching experience.  Sharing his experiences, photos, and texts of this far-way land, I became extremely fascinated with this culture's pride in work and attention to detail. Everything had a special place, and the place was always, 'just right.'  Simple, but purely functional!  I found my passion as well as the focus of my lesson -- The Japanese Package.

Click on the 'thumbnails' below to view each page of my ORIGINAL lesson.  Continue with the reading that follows to witness the lesson's evolution over the past eight years in addition to the modifications influenced by my graduate and professional development experiences.

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