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It could be said of Janel
Jacobson that she sees things in a very small way. For one thing,
she looks for the world that many of us pass by without seeing:
The leaf curled in on itself, the tiny frog clinging to a twig,
the tree cricket flattened against a day lily. It is apt, then,
to see the tiny details if you are carving netsuke and ojime, like
Janel does. Netsuke and ojime, though now often thought of as highly
desirable collectibles, were originally very practical items worn
with traditional Japanese garments.
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Snails
A tiny snail crawls on the shell of a larger snail. Boxwood
and Baltic Amber.
(#317 - 1999)
1.6 x 1.13 x .75 inches
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Since these garments had no pockets, pouches
were carried. The netsuke is the toggle that tucks up into the
obi (the sash) the ojime is the cord-tightening bead with a
small hole drilled straight through. Both are "very small and
bead-like," often less than 2 inches in diameter. Classical
netsuke and ojime often borrow themes from the Japanese zodiac,
folklore, and myths. Living in rural Minnesota, Janel seldom
has to look beyond her own backyard for her nature-inspired
work. |
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#324 Tree Frog, Lady Bug & Caterpillar 2000
A small tree frog waits with company on a curled leaf. Boxwood,
moose antler, amber, gold powder, sumi ink.
1.9 x 1.75 x 1.4 inches 4.9 x 4.4 x 3.7 cm
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