By Christine David
The first law of thermodynamics states that energy can neither be created nor destroyed; only transferred or changed from one form to another. In the case of water vapor molecules which condense to form droplets, which the energy of gravity next draws down to the much larger body of condensed water of a pond or lake. . . the energy is transferred to the water creating tiny, mesmerizing waves we witness briefly as ripples in the surface. Does it seem a contradiction then, the Zen Buddist tenet of the impermanence of all things? Perhaps, but only on the surface, pun intended! For on the surface of a lake or pond the fleeting and the enduring each serving to bring our awareness to the other . . . such is the goal of Japanese artistic aesthetics and of the artist Tamao of Art de Tama in her new Ripple Collection.
Growing up in Japan, water was a central theme in Tamao’s life. As a competitive swimmer, she was at home in the familiar water and it calmed her. From the “Colors Remembered” blog, is the poetic description below of one of her favorite child-hood memories:
Was the moss so green and soft, and wet with morning dew beneath the blossoms of the trees on which the cherries grew?
And so, inspired by dew and small ripples in a quiet lake, Tamao has designed these earrings which are more wearable art than accessory. She uses wood and semi-precious stones or shells and pearls to create a stunning diorama of a moment; which having brought her so much comfort, she skillfully preserves out of time, to be able to share it with you.
Come Visit Art De Tama Fine Art!
Japanese artist in the United States. Tamao Nakayama was born and raised in Tokyo, Japan, and moved to the U.S. when she was 25 years old. She is still deeply influenced by the Japanese aesthetic, and the belief that ‘less is more’. She is a minimalist abstract artist. She paints and sculpts.