“Woven Light” Washi Sculptures by Yuri Kinoshita bathe the Portland Japanese Garden’s Calvin and Mayho Tanabe Gallery in a glowing world of light through September 14.

Seattle-based artist Kinoshita creates serene landscapes of light through her traditional Japanese sculptural lamps called washi. The lamps are handmade with handmade paper from plant fibers, and convey a special sense of place that mirrors the Pacific Northwest.

Washi has been made in Japan for centuries. It is used for decoration as well as for religious rites and ceremonies. The paper for Kinoshita’s washi is sourced from artisans in Echizen in Fukui Prefecture, Japan, a region known for its long tradition of papermaking. The texture and shape of the paper is transformed depending on the type of washi used: the rough weave of bamboo fiber contrast with the soft, fine glow of kozo, which is washi created using mulberry bark.

Kinoshita’s light-filled sculptures are paired with bases that often are formed from richly colored walnut wood of the Pacific Northwest, crafted by master woodworker Craig Yamamoto, nephew to iconic woodworker George Nakashima.

Born in Kyoto to a third-generation kimono-making family, Kinoshita’s art and design practice led her to study and practice throughout Europe and Asia, before relocating her studio to Seattle in 2008. There, she was immediately captivated by the quality of light iconic to the Pacific Northwest, where the skies alternate between rolling cloud cover and sudden sunbursts. Her exquisitely woven washi lamps seek to bring this quality of light from the skies into interior spaces, offering not just a functional source of light but a sense of warmth, safety, and tranquility.

Details: “Woven Light,” 10 a.m.–5:30 p.m. daily through September 14. Included with garden admission, which is $22.50 for adults, $19.50 for those 65 and older, $18.50 for students, $16.50 for ages 6-17. The Portland Japanese Garden is located at 611 S.W. Kingston Avenue in Portland’s Washington Park.

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