kagami mochi (william morris)

Artist's notes on style, materials and inspiration:

A new year decoration which is meant to be displayed from the end of December until into the New Year, to welcome in the New Year deity who visits the house. Designed to be a decoration that is set out once a year to mark the transition from one year to the next.

This large turned Tulipwood piece is in the shape of a special offering known as a Kagami Mochi (鏡餅), a New Year decoration made from two round mochi rice cakes, a larger one on the bottom, then a smaller one, and a daidai Japanese orange placed on the top.

This set was loosely inspired by the William Morris 'acanthus' print - and all four pieces have been given a stylised leaf pattern, whilst remaining in the correct colourway for the traditional arrangement.

Kagami mochi means 'mirror rice cake' (perhaps named after the mirrors used in Shinto religion), and is thought to contain the spirit of rice, therefore is a perfect way to welcome 'toshigami-sama' - a Shinto deity who visits during the New Year, as well as being offered to other household spirits. Kagami mochi is either home made or comes packaged in plastic containers in convenience stores and supermarkets.

My pieces are painted in a naïve and simple style, with visible brush strokes and differing paint consistencies. It is important to note that these dolls are made from real wood which will have naturally occurring markings and grain, and sometimes there will be small amount of bleeding along the grain, or knots, which is to be expected when using untreated wood - please make sure you consult the pictures carefully before purchasing. No returns are accepted on custom made/ pre-ordered pieces.

A note about 'Wood Girls'
My wooden girls are turned by a production turner to my designs and then hand painted in the U.K. by me, a British artist, exploring patterns and scenes encountered by me on my travels and in daily life.

Lathe-turned Tulipwood pieces, with brass addition, hand painted and finished in a matt acrylic protective top coat. Wooden frame base.
Painted with bear head signatures under the large mochi cake and the base.
Approximately 20cm high, and base is 15cm squared.

Please note: THIS IS NOT A TOY and should be kept out of the reach of children. Wood girls should be kept away from water which can damage the wood and painted surface, and also away from direct heat/ sunlight which also can affect the surface colour and the timber itself.