Positive Art design brings happiness to the day!
4338 Albany Post Road, 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 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 take on the medium. My deep admiration for kimonos also played a major 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 taking them apart and using their fabrics in my artwork. Kimono silk has such expressive colors and textures that it became 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 subject to manufacturers' decisions about what will sell. By stepping beyond those commercial limits 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
BIO: Attitude with Creativity
As an artist, fabric designer, graphic designer, illustrator, web designer, and arts & crafts instructor, my creative journey began in rural Nagano, Japan, and led me to the vibrant city of Osaka. I traveled to the United States many times before making it my permanent home in 1992.
Over the past 30 years, I’ve established a name for myself in the quilt industry as a fabric designer. With over 1,000 licensed designs still sold worldwide, my work has left a lasting mark. Between 2001 and 2016, during my trade show years, I expanded into arts and crafts—creating original craft patterns for fabric collections. For ten years, Simplicity published and sold my apron and bag designs. In 2013, author Jo Packham featured me in her book Quilters: Their Quilts, Their Studios, Their Stories.
My work is often described as kitschy yet modern and full of joy, reflecting the richness of my life and experience. I find true purpose in creating art that brings joyful thoughts to others. After my son became independent, I returned to my passion for fine art and galleries. Since then, I have been creating and exhibiting in galleries throughout the Hudson Valley, working across diverse mediums including original and vintage kimono fabrics, recycled materials, painting, mixed media, layered textiles, appliqué, patchwork, and both sewing and drawing techniques. I’m often referred to as a fiber artist or mixed media artist.
Exhibitions:
1980 - 1993 OSAKA, KANAZA WA, TOKYO Several Group Shows in Japan
1994 May - FrameWorks NY / E. 19th NYC, NY "Blooming Woman"
2020 March - Gallery 40 / Poughkeepsie, NY (Closed due to COVID-19)
2020 & 2021 March, April, May, December, Howland Cultural Center / Beacon, NY / The Ghobbuls, Three for on / Dakara's Collection
2022 January - Barrett Art Center, Poughkeepsie, NY "Body Beautiful" / This was Barrett's last show. Dance Dance Dance, Three for one
2024 January - Woodstock Artists Association and Museum. Woodstock In NY "By the Thread" Entree Mischief of the Dream
2024 March-Cannon 40 Poughkeepsie, NY, a 2nd floor and Wine Bar. The Ghobbuls and some more
2024 - Hoodie Crescent Wall at Green Kill Gallery, Kingston
Since 2017, I have enjoyed teaching arts and crafts classes—starting in Brooklyn and expanding to the Hudson Valley. I’ve taught summer classes primarily for children for the past five years. I incorporate elements of art therapy into my teaching, favoring hands-on, tactile methods that offer satisfaction and connection in a way digital tools cannot.
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
Ornaments
On-Demands T-shirts
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.