In the heat of summer, I sometimes find myself waiting for a rain shower.
It falls heavily for just three to five minutes while the sun is shining. It is a warm tropical shower.
After the rain, I like to step out into the garden. The greenery glistens with raindrops, as if sprinkled with diamonds.
I feel that this familiar scene after the rain has deeply influenced the way I create jewelry.
Blessed with strong sunlight and abundant rain, white hibiscus flowers are in bloom.
I was looking at the material for her new ring.
The yellow gold seemed to resonate with the green of Yakushima.
It felt like a wonderful moment to begin making the Shizuku Ring.
I made a delicate ring with 18K yellow gold, then melted small pieces of platinum into tiny granules using an oxygen torch.
The bright white flame sparkled in the dark studio.
Like raindrops resting on the plants,
I will place tiny platinum granules on the ring.
Arranging them to suit her ring size, I will gradually create a scene after the rain, carefully balancing the whole arrangement.
It is the kind of handwork that makes me feel excited, like a child again.
The evenings are getting a little cooler.
Here and there, I can already see the colors of the coming season.
At the East Harbor, the Obon lights cast a soft glow over the deep and quiet night.
The scent of the sea drifts in on the warm breeze.
In the flow of island time, my summer days of jewelry making go on.
