Guest Editor’s Profile – Emmie Tsumura

Emmie Tsumura

Hiroshima City, Japan
http://www.flickr.com/photos/emmietsumura/

In terms of your things, what does your space (studio/office/orliving area) look like? please describe.
My main working space is my desk, but it often extends into the tatami room and the kitchen island. My desk is also in the kitchen, with easy access to the stove for tea-making and sudden cup noodle urges. Currently on my desk is a formerly trusty but recently temperamental MacBook, a handmade mug with a bunch of different pens and brushes, a collection of Japanese washi tape, and an Epson printer. Also, some speakers, a kanji dictionary, and a CD of songs for karaoke practice. In front on the wall, is a corkboard with inspiring quotes, some screenprints, old postcards, and a pocket full of delivery pizza and sushi coupons. Delivery sushi – the best!!!

I come from a family of meticulous label enthusiasts, and paper shredding neat freaks. On the contrary, I’m a pretty disorganized paper-keeper. I’m kind of a fan of organized chaos, but I’m always looking for ways to keep the chaos in check. I try and keep all my paper in coded boxes based on pattern and colour. I like the look of different-coloured post-its all over the place, and am a future post-it master.

I came to Hiroshima from Canada six years ago with my husband Nate. This place is full of music and art, great food and sake, beautiful rivers and mountains, and the sound of old streetcars. From our place, we get a great view of the bullet train shooting through the city at night. Pretty cool.

Where do you normally get your things?
I get my stuff from lots of different places, but my favourite is probably the brush store in downtown Hiroshima. There are brushes wall-to-wall for make-up, paint, and calligraphy, as well as endless options for ink, ink stones, paper, and stamp carving. Next would be Tokyu Hands, a 7-floor one-stop shop with several floors dedicated to stationary, DIY stuff, paint, Gocco, sketchbooks – everything. There’s pretty much one in every big city here, and they’re never disappointing.

What is your prize possession/”thing”/collectible/tool?
There are so many things, but I’d say that my calligraphy pens and inks are the most exciting. These days I’m in love with Brause pens, especially the hexagonal double-ended ones, walnut ink, and trying out different kinds of sumi.

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