Hanna Yokozawa-Farquharson
Saltcoats, Sask.
Hanna Yokozawa-Farquharson, Indigo Waves, 2020. Hand dyed cotton, hand dyed Japanese antique kimono silk, cotton cord, cotton threads, 61cm x 61 cm x 6cm. Photo: Hanna Yokozawa Farquharson.
Studio: How would you describe your approach to your medium? What made you choose it?
Hanna Yokozawa-Farquharson: I draw the images, which I get from inspiration and intuition, onto paper and begin making them into a new reality. It is important to me how close I can reflect the shape and feel of the image I receive. Some are soft to the touch, some are hard. There are things that I can't fully express in the textile, even though I have a clearer image of them in my mind. I enjoy the process of devising new techniques using different textiles.
I think it is like turning steam into water or ice, creating something with the body. Making the invisible visible or more tangible. It's like using magic. The most important thing is to make sure that what I intend, that is, the heart and love I put into the work, is fully incorporated into it. If I put my heart into it, it will surely be conveyed to the viewer. When I think about what is the best medium to convey the message in the best way, the optimum art form naturally emerges.
Hanna Yokozawa-Farquharson, Tree Rings, 2020. Cotton and cotton threads, 38 cm x 43 cm. Photo: Hanna Yokozawa Farquharson.
S: How would you describe yourself, personally and professionally?
HYF: I am deeply spiritual, and find a wholeness in the chaotic universe around us all. This is an anchor of my being and of my art.
I believe that the process of becoming a professional is a process of freeing myself and returning to a more innocent child- self. The path to becoming a professional is to return to my childhood days when I played freely with my brothers, laughed with all my might, and had a good time. I believe that the way to become a professional is to become more in tune with one’s true, original, innocent self where delight and laughter belong.
Hanna Yokozawa-Farquharson, Seashells & Fossils, 2020. Cotton, pins, polyester batting, 8-20 cm. Photo: Donald Stein.
S: What inspires you?
HYF: It is everything I feel with my five senses and everything else I perceive or become open to.
Just by looking up at the sky, nature is already there. If you go through the clouds, there is the universe. The earth rotates at a tremendous speed every second, and the earth orbits the sun at a tremendous speed. It is a miracle that we are able to stand on the earth. Beyond the wonders of what we identify as physical reality there are also the amazing worlds of heart, mind and soul, of imagination and of relationships.
In Japan, there is a culture of respecting nature and deep awe for nature. It is believed in much of Japanese spirituality that there are eight million gods (spirits) within nature. We humans are a part of nature, and all living things have life... beautiful mountains and rivers, flowers and trees, stones, clouds and even the wind all have spirits. This spirituality is the foundation of my work. I want to help heal the earth.
Hanna Yokozawa-Farquharson, Seashells & Fossils, 2020. Cotton, pins, polyester batting, 8-20 cm. Photo: Donald Stein.
S: What do you see as your contribution to the field of your craft?
HYF: I believe in Oneness. I interpret this to mean that all living things are connected as one. What we create, what we send out, affects the earth, the universe, and our consciousness. Therefore, my work is based on freedom, purity, beauty, and positivity. Because we are all connected to each other deep inside. My approach is soft, gentle, and calm. The earth is our big house. In my vision of that home, there are no walls or boundaries.
There is only laughter and fun, compassion and healing.
All of us have been scarred, whether we realize it or not, by traumas carried over from past lives, or by unkind words or actions we heard as a child. I believe that these wounds create their own negative situations. Through resonating with my work I hope that many people will be able to see the love and kindness within themselves and regain the courage to step forward and the strength to move forward.
Hanna Yokozawa-Farquharson, Moss I, II, III , 2020. Polyester felt, wool batting, cotton thread, 35.5 cm diameter. Photo: Hanna Yokozawa Farquharson.
S: What wisdom do you want to impart to younger makers?
HYF: I think it is good to do what you want to do now. There is no need to be afraid of failure. Everything is a valuable experience. I also think it is important to be flexible. You don't have to stick to one thing, believe that you can change your reality at any time by your will, and learn to enjoy challenges and changes, and love yourself above all.
Please continue to refine your pure, beautiful, and noble soul and create something dazzlingly beautiful in this world.
You love your work, but there will be times when no one appreciates it and your heart sinks. But please believe that somewhere in the world, there is someone waiting for your work. There is always someone out there who will tell you that they finally got to meet this art.
You may be discouraged if you don't get what you want. Once you have a clear vision of the future in your mind, forget about it. It may sound strange. When you learn to let the big flow of the universe take over without trying to control things, a lot of synchronization will start happening. If you can experience that from a young age, you will have a wonderful life ahead of you.
Hanna Yokozawa-Farquharson
w: hannafarquharson.com/
ig: @h_farquharson_studio
f: @hannayokozawafarquharson
This article was published in the Fall/Winter 2022 issue of Studio Magazine.
