Sunday, September 24, 2006

New Artisan: aya*shii


This week a remarkable batch of work arrived from Japanese puppet maker Aya Ishii, known as aya*shii in the puppet world. They are so fabulous I can hardly even describe them!

Every puppet Aya makes is different. The ones she sent to us include a punk bat with a white fur mohawk, a circus-flavored tiger in a red suede jacket, and a green bunny in a polka dot dress who is so flirty Jae has a crush on her. Click here to see images of all eight.

The craftsmanship of these puppets is extraordinary. Aya carves their heads from cherry or camphor wood, paints them perfectly, and details them with fur, whiskers, and eyelashes. She then sews their clothes from different kinds of fabric and leather. Each one is beautifully lined in suede.


We have eight of Aya's magical finger puppets here at the shop. They're the only ones for sale in the U.S. (She also sells them in Tokyo.) These are works of art and will retail at around $200 each. So if you love puppets, or you love unusual artwork, come and get it while the gettin's good!

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