Japanese glass artist, Kimiake Higuchi specializes in pate de verre, the technique in which glass powder is packed into a mold or form and then fired. Pate de verre allows for the precise placement of color -- a prominent characteristic of Higuchi's work.
Kimiake Higuchi's career did not start with glass -- or the visual arts for that matter. Prior to discovering glass (by way of ceramics), she spent much of her life studying music.
Her body of pate de verre work is almost entirely based on themes of nature. Flowers, animals and even asparagus and cabbage are frequent sources of inspiration. Her work frequently begins with "models" picked from her own garden.
Kimiake Higuchi currently lives in Japan with her husband Shinichi who is also an accomplished pate de verre artist. The Higuchi's work is included in many significant glass collections.
