• Kay Sekimachi: left: Takarabako VI, 1999; linen, acrylic paint, and boning; 9 x 7 1/2 x 7 1/2 in.; right: Takarabako VII, 1999; linen, acrylic paint, and boning; 7 x 7 1/4 x 7 1/2 in.; both: collection of Forrest L. Merrill. Photo: Lee Fatheree.

Virtual Gallery + Studio: Mixed-Media Takarabako

For ages 6–12 with accompanying adult(s)

  • With artist

    Beth Krebs is an artist and educator with an MFA from Rutgers University. When not working on her own art projects, she can be found teaching school groups at the de Young Museum and adults at the San Francisco Art Institute.

Artist Kay Sekimachi creates woven sculptural forms that are both geometric and organic. She works with linen, monofilament (fishing line), thin layers of wood, and paper in ways we don’t expect. She calls some of her forms takarabako, which means “treasure chest.” With Sekimachi’s art as inspiration, work from two dimensions to three and create your own treasure box using a simple pattern and materials you can find at home. Workshop led by Beth Krebs.

Materials
Please gather these materials before our session:

  • Printed-out template from this webpage (printed at least 8 1/2 x 11”)
  • 8 1/2 x 8 1/2” or larger pieces of lightweight cardboard, tag paper, paper bag, and fabric that’s not too drapey, such as cotton duck, denim, or vinyl. Experiment! A plastic-mesh-type produce bag works, too!
  • Scissors
  • Two ties per box, approx. 3” long each (shoelace, string, yarn, narrow ribbon, etc.)
  • Materials for surface decoration will depend on whether you’re working on fabric, tag or cardboard: oil pastels (for darker papers); watercolors, colored inks, or markers (for cotton fabrics or lighter papers); colored embroidery floss or yarn and a big-eye sewing needle (for fabrics or mesh).

Tip: Please print out this template on 8 1/2 x 11” paper or larger in advance of the workshop session.