Beautiful kimono images found inside the glass tower

This is another masterpiece by Yasuko Nakazato, who recently won the people's choice award at the  2010 convention of theBrewster Kaleidoscope Society.

Yasuko Nakazato was commissioned by the Kaleidoscope Museum of Kyoto to create a kaleidoscope symbolizing the Kyoto Tower, which is a landmark of the ancient capital city of Japan.

She created the building's part with more than 200 layered glass strips, which included  3 different mirror systems and one object wheel inside.
Every other parts are also made of glass specially designed for the particular shape of the original tower,using different techniques.

 

There are 2 large eye holes for easy viewing  on the brass top.

The design and shape of  eye holes resemble famous stone garden in this city.

LED  inside illuminates both the object wheel and the tower.

                                

What is most impressive is the image created.  The upper  image looks like a thick woven fabric for Obi of Japanese Kimono through 4 mirror system.

                                  

The second image is through the same mirror system, however ,has comletely different atmothphere.

The secret of the diversity lies in the object wheel.  Usually you can not see it from the outside, but the artist allows me to show it here.  What a beautiful wheel it is !  The wheel has both black and white background for diversity.  Objects are chosen carefully to express seasons in Kyoto and to suggest traditional patterns of Kimono.

                                  

The wheel turns smoothly with the ball bearing.

The second mirror system is tapered and creates sphere"Temari" images.

                                   

The third mirror system is 3mirror system and images suggest "Kyo-Yuzen", traditional dyed silk fabric for Kimono.

There are many beautiful places to visit in Kyoto, however you should not miss this kaleidoscope at the Kaleidoscope Museum of Kyoto.

Tokyo Tower

This is a very unique kaleidoscope in  the shape of the Tokyo Tower, which is a landmark of the capital city of Japan.   Koji Yamami  made this kaleidoscope for the unveiling at the Brewster Kaleidoscope Society's 2oth convention. The Tokyo Tower  is as old as the artist himself and its existence has been so familiar to him since his childhood.

The eye hole is placed in front at about 1/4 height of the tower.  Through the mirror system, you will see beautiful scenes of Tokyo day and night.

This is daytime Tokyo.

The next picture shows night time Tokyo

By turning a handle at the side, images change from day

to night. 

People's Choice Award to Kaleidoscope History Book 2010

Artist name:  Yasuko Nakazato

Scope name:  Kaleidoscope History Book 2010

Exterior features:  Glass kaleidoscope resembling a book with lighting inside.  It is placed on a brass plate.

The glass covers are adorned with brass relief  and colored to give an old-fashioned look of a real book.

Mirror system:  unusual tapered mirror system

Object cell : Dry cell

The book can be opened at any angle with the mirrors on both of the opened pages. It works as a poly angular mirror system and produces multi-angular images.

There is an eye hole on the top and you will see a big image inside.  It is too big for one shot to cover all the area.

"The Kaleidoscope History Book 2010" was unveiled at the convention of the Brewster Kaleidoscope Society and got a People's Choice Award . Congratulations!

Lotus - from the IKA exhibition of kaleidoscopes -

This is "Lotus" by Kyoko and Toru KIRIBAYASHI.

They have been creating unique acrylic kaleidoscopes.  There are 2 kaleidoscopes with different mirror systems and object types.  They are lotus flowers in the pond and you will find scope tubes in the center.  The most challenging part for them is to express softness of petals using rather hard material.  With the lightning inside, images sparkle and radiate in blue and purple.  

This is another example of their acrylic kaleidoscope "Star Gate" from 2008 exhibition.

Wisteria Images - from the IKA exhibiton of kaleidoscopes -

                                  

The 10th International Kaleidoscope Assciation's juried exhibition is held now at Gallery Vivant  in Ginza, Tokyo. This exhibition is aimed to offer the artists to present their new creations.  It also aims to raise interest among people who are starting to acknowledge kaleidoscope as an art form.  This is a very good opportuinity to see  kaleidoscopes both by known artists and to-be-known artists. 

This is a parlor type kaleidoscope by Junko Hasegawa, which is titled"Flower, flower, flower" .

                                   

The front panel is a traditional silk textile depicting people enjoying flower season and surroundings of old court in Japan.  It is covered by a clear glass and put into the black stained glass body.  You will see the images from the top and there is a wide area for seeing around inside the scope.  
These are a couple of  photos of images.  Glass wisteria is located in the mirror system and create 3D images.

Reflective surroundings for teleidoscopes

This is a teleidoscope made by Koransha, Co.,Ltd, which is one of the famous porcelain ware makers in Japan.  Flower's pattern adorns white porcelain cylinder.
The company has been producing beautiful porcelain flower vases, cups and saucers, plates and other table wares for many years in Arita, Kyushu,  the south part of Japan.   They succeeded in producing porcelain cylinders suitable for kaleidoscopes and teleidoscopes after many hours of attempts and learned to make teleidoscopes and kaleidoscopes under the guidance of Koji Yamami who is a leading kaleidoscope artist in Japan.
There are several patterns on the cylinders for customer's choice.
This teleidoscope have a 2 mirror system with the reflecting material on the third side. Let's enjoy images of flower pots through this mirror system.

It also reflects the flower's color around the mandala image. 
Green leaves of trees look like this through this teleidoscope.

It is a good collaboration of traditional porcelain products which has 400 year history and kaleido- and teleidoscopes which has been invented 200 years ago.

Unique material for the scope body

Artist: Non Numajiri
Scope name: Suzanne.  Open edition.
Mirror system:  Tapered 3 mirror
Object chamber:  Dry objects.  Turning end.  Translucent stained glass is used for the back ground.
Exterior features:  Hemp strings coil the corn-shaped body.
Dimensions: 3" Diameter, 7 3/8" Height

Each scope is color-coordinated and this is her style at the moment.  The tapered 3 mirror produces bigger and finer images but at the same time it is a challenge because even a small flaw can be seen.
She cuts mirrors precisely to produce flawless images.