Positive Art design brings happiness to the day!
Hyde Park, New York 12538, United States
About Me
BALANCE, TIMING, TALENT
Great success occurs when these three powerful elements come together. A talent often becomes his or her own by continuing, so an important factor is to continue without giving up.
A three-key approach to life
Statement: Vision and Prospect
A Life Woven with Fabric
I have lived a life closely connected to textiles. My father worked as a consultant for a textile trading company, and my mother's lifelong hobby was knitting. Naturally, like many of us, I was shaped by the world my parents inhabited. In the 1950s and 60s, handmade items were part of everyday life. Clothes were sewn at home, meals were cooked from scratch, and each item carried a sense of care and intention.
Before my mother fell in love with knitting and crochet, she sewed matching outfits for our family using her sewing machine. Once her focus shifted to yarn work, I began using that machine, marking the beginning of my journey.
I was always drawn to art and design, especially illustration and textile work. After graduating from high school, I majored in graphic design at an art college, experimenting with different methods to express my ideas. Once I graduated, I began working as a freelance graphic designer for the textile export division of a trade company. Coincidentally, this was the same company my father was affiliated with, though our paths intersected there unintentionally. My work served the markets of America, Canada, and Australia/New Zealand.
Over time, I began applying my designs directly onto fabric, adding hand-stitched elements to give the surface a more dynamic, textured finish. These pieces were not traditional quilts, but rather my own rule-breaking interpretation of the medium. My deep admiration for kimonos also played a significant role. When I was old enough to wear them, I started collecting vintage kimonos and became fascinated by their ability to harmonize colors and textures through layered coordination. My mother, too, was passionate about kimonos and clothing—perhaps even more so than I was.
After moving to America, I had fewer opportunities to wear kimonos, so I began carefully deconstructing them and using their fabrics in my artwork. Kimono silk carries remarkable expressive qualities through its color, texture, and history, and it has become a vital medium in my creative practice.
While many of my vibrant fabric designs have been well received in the quilt and arts and crafts markets, they are still often shaped by manufacturers' decisions about what will sell. By stepping beyond those commercial limitations and using fabric—especially kimono silk—as a fine art material, my identity as a fiber artist has deepened. With each piece, my work continues to evolve and expand in scope.
Through my creative journey, I have also developed a community of followers who connect with my sense of fashion and visual storytelling. As I move forward, I am embracing a life that integrates fashion, creativity, and everyday expression. This direction will be reflected through my platform, Fab-a-la-Carte, where I share fashion, handmade culture, educational experiences, and upcycled fashion as part of a sustainable creative lifestyle. Giving new life to materials and connecting personal style with artistic expression has become an important pillar of my ongoing work and philosophy.
BIO: Attitude with Creativity
As an artist, fabric designer, graphic designer, illustrator, web designer, and arts & crafts instructor, I began my creative journey in Osaka, Japan. After traveling to the United States many times, I made it my permanent home in 1993.
Over the past three decades, I have established a career in the quilt and textile industry as a fabric designer, creating more than 1,000 licensed designs that continue to be sold worldwide. Between 2001 and 2016, during my trade show years, I expanded into the arts and crafts market by developing original craft patterns to accompany fabric collections. For ten years, Simplicity published and sold my apron and bag pattern designs. In 2013, author Jo Packham featured my work in Quilters: Their Quilts, Their Studios, Their Stories.
My work is often described as kitschy yet modern and filled with joyful energy, reflecting the richness of my life experiences. I am deeply motivated to create art that brings uplifting and hopeful thoughts to others. After my son became independent, I returned to my passion for fine art and gallery exhibitions. Since then, I have created and exhibited work throughout the Hudson Valley, working across diverse mediums including original and vintage kimono textiles, recycled materials, painting, mixed media, layered fabrics, appliqué, patchwork, sewing, and drawing. My work is often recognized as fiber or mixed-media art.
In 2019, I introduced The Ghobbuls, symbolic storytelling characters that first appeared in a small 30-card deck and an Amazon Kindle publication. The Ghobbuls later expanded into painting, sculptural, and three-dimensional works.
The Ghobbuls were created from my personal desire to transform negative emotions into hopeful and positive thoughts — something I needed in my own life and believe everyone needs. Through storytelling, art, and symbolic imagery, the Ghobbuls continue to grow as guides toward emotional reflection and healing.
Today, my teaching and storytelling practices are closely connected to my creative work. I offer online courses through PassionClass.com, along with private in-person and remote workshops. Through these programs, I create safe and imaginative environments where participants can explore creativity as a pathway toward emotional and mental well-being.
Exhibitions
May 1994
FrameWorks NY, East 19th Street, New York, NY
Blooming Woman
March 7, 2020
Gallery 40, Poughkeepsie, NY — Group Exhibition
(Closed due to COVID-19)
2020 & 2021
March, April, May, December
Howland Cultural Center, Beacon, NY
The Ghobbuls, Three for One, Dakara Collection, Just Because
January 2022
Barrett Art Center, Poughkeepsie, NY
Body Beautiful (Barrett Annual Exhibition)
Works included: Dance Dance Dance, Three for One – Across Universe III
January 2024
Woodstock Artists Association and Museum, Woodstock, NY
By the Thread
Work: Entree / Mischief of the Dream
March 2024
Cannon 40, Poughkeepsie, NY
Second Floor Gallery & Wine Bar Exhibition
The Ghobbuls and additional works
2024
GreenKill Gallery, Kingston, NY
Hoodie Crescent Wall Installation
2025
Doodle Workroom, Hyde Park, NY
Exhibition: The GhobGhobbul – Across Universe III
Also exhibited: Blooming Woman and multimedia works
Store for Crafts & Fashion
On-Demand Goodies
T-shirts, Dress, Leggings, shorts, bras & skirts for women
T-shirts, shorts & hats for men
T-shirts for Kids
- To-Be-Styled – fashion brand
- Honey Pie – baby's brand
- The Ghobbuls Collection – Philosophical creatures and visual storytelling
Pre-cut Fabrics
Fat quarters, 5x5, & some fabrics-maximum 3 yards.
Sewing project patterns
Brand of FUN Goodies
Hoodie's Goodies Handmade
Ornaments
Aprons
Bags
Sock Dolls
Stuffed Animals
Kimono fabrics accessories
Hoodie's Goodies Publishing
e-books
Greeting Cards
Sewing Patterns
Attitude changes everything!
FOCUS, POSITIVity, ACHIEVEMENT
Creativity challenges the possibilities of the unconscious mind. Try to reach out to professionals with a wealth of experience. Respect your inner images. Creative satisfaction will conquer weakness and lead you in better directions. We walk together towards the light.