Field Trip with an Attache Case

Hanada: Did you enjoy making things when you were little?

Harumi Ikushima: When I was a child, I liked sewing, and I used to go to elementary school with bags I made myself. I even made bag for field trip…

Hanada: Handmade bag for field trip! They had a clear purpose, didn’t they? I wonder what kind of bag it turned out to be.

Harumi Ikushima: That’s the thing—the bag I made back then didn’t look very field trip-like at all…
It was more like a suitcase, about this size, with a zipper that opened the top completely, about 10cm thick, roughly A4 size…

Hanada: That’s basically an attache case (laughs).

Harumi Ikushima: Exactly, and it even had a handle on top…

Hanada: Like a businessman coming straight from the office to field trip.

Encounter with Glass

Hanada: After that, you went on to art university.

Harumi Ikushima: I naturally wanted to do art-related work because I liked making things and my mother had always been painting.
It took me a little time to get into art university, but that’s where I encountered glass.

Hanada: So your first encounter with glass was at university.

Harumi Ikushima: At Tama Art University, there was a program called three-dimensional design. I thought, “It’s three-dimensional, it’s design, sounds perfect!”
As for materials, you could choose metal or glass, and I was amazed by the molten, flowing glass…
It wasn’t just “beautiful,” it was more like, “What is this?”
Glass processes are easy to understand, and it looks interesting visually, doesn’t it? Watching the senior students making things also looked really cool.

Hanada: That vague admiration is important.

Harumi Ikushima: I still feel a bit uneasy with glassblowing.Even if it goes well today, it doesn’t mean it will tomorrow. You have to think about what went wrong today, but not dwell on it, and focus on improving for tomorrow. Well, I’ve only recently been able to think like that.

Gorilla Glass Garage (GGG)

Hanada: After graduation, you went to the U.S. with Ken (her husband and also a glass artist), and upon returning, you founded Gorilla Glass Garage (GGG) in western Izu.

Harumi Ikushima: I started taking glassblowing seriously after we set up the workshop.
Before that, I was mainly doing kiln work, but once we installed glassblowing equipment, I had no choice but to work with glassblowing, and naturally my work increasingly involved finishing with glassblowing.
This inevitably led to a style of working together as a couple.

Hanada: Collaboration with assistants is also important in glasswork.

Harumi Ikushima: I actually enjoy assisting—especially helping Ken make goblets. Assisting on goblets might actually be the most fun thing I do right now.

Hanada: Your own Murrine work is also going well.

Harumi Ikushima: Actually, the pieces I think are “the best” are usually not popular at all (laughs).
There’s a complete mismatch there.

Hanada: Didn’t you want them to come back to you?

Harumi Ikushima: Let’s just say that’s the case (laughs).

The Charm of Murrine

Hanada: Currently, your main work is Murrine and lace. What do you find attractive about them? Murrine and lace involve various elements in their processes.

Harumi Ikushima: For me, the charm of Murrine is that before facing the challenging glassblowing tasks, I get to enjoy the fun time of arranging the Murrine.

Harumi Ikushima: And then, the patterns in the Murrine shift with the heat, so even if the patterns are the same, no two pieces are ever identical.

Harumi Ikushima: The Murrine I make are all simple. I don’t obsess over individual Murrine; instead, I enjoy the combination of patterns, colors, and arrangement. I think the final result is something that only Murrine work can achieve.
I like continuous patterns—like polka dots in wallpaper or textiles.
And with glass, you can make that happen.

Hanada: Do you plan the overall composition from the start?

Harumi Ikushima: No. I start by going to the parts area and thinking, “I made this yesterday, so let’s use it as the main element,” and then I decide what colors to pair with it.
I make things based on the idea at that moment. For example, if it starts to look like some kind of traditional costume, I’ll adjust the colors accordingly, or if it feels fresh, I’ll think, “Today it’s a fresh style.”

Hanada: That improvisation brings out the lively atmosphere in your work. Your pieces are bright and uplifting.

Harumi Ikushima: But the first pieces I made were chic, just clear and black.

Hanada: That’s surprising.

Harumi Ikushima: Later, I added colors and realized, “Ah, I really love colors.” It’s fun.
In Izu, there are always flowers blooming somewhere… more broadly, not just flowers, but the sea and mountains are colorful too. Those things naturally become part of me, I think.

Hanada: Many fans are captivated by this unique world you create.

Harumi Ikushima: I’m not very comfortable appearing in public or interacting with people. I connect with people through making glass. I think I’m given opportunities to interact with people through my work.
Once, someone who purchased an ice cream glass told me, “Using it is really fun,” and that made me very happy. It’s the greatest encouragement.

Hanada: Looking ahead to Hanada’s exhibition.

Harumi Ikushima: It’s of course fun to use the vessels as they are, but the other day I made a single-color rim plate and paired it as a saucer with a striped dessert glass. The combinations are endless. That’s really fun.
Depending on the food, the time, or the occasion, there are so many ways to enjoy them. I hope people can have fun with my vessels in various ways.

Hanada: I’m looking forward to the exhibition.