Frequently Asked Questions

Shop

Where can I buy Suzanne’s work?
Suzanne’s work can be purchased at a select number of outlets. Beyond the places listed below, her items can be purchased at her exhibitions. To be informed about upcoming exhibitions, please sign up for the newsletter. You can also contact her studio directly for specific enquiries.
- Ross Studios Gallery, Wajima Japan
- Flat Home, Wajima Japan
- Wajima Kiriko Kaikan, Japan
- Noto-no-sho ryokan, Wajima
- Nosaku Kanazawa station, Japan
- Takashimaya department store, Nihonbashi & Yokohama branches
Do you have an online shop?
No, currently we don’t have an online shop but we hope to be able to have one soon.
Do you sell Suzanne’s work outside of Japan?
We typically don’t but for specific enquiries, please contact the studio.

I am an individual planning to visit Wajima and would like to see Suzanne’s Kobo Nagaya gallery.
We welcome visitors to the gallery throughout the year on appointment. Please bear in mind that Suzanne is a full-time artist and urushi is a very sensitive to seasons, weather conditions and is a time-consuming process that requires careful attention. Please be aware that Suzanne might not be able to meet you personally but we will try to accommodate your visit. We will need several weeks advance notice.
I am a commercial travel organiser and would like to include a group visit to Suzanne’s studio and gallery.
We welcome group visits and exclusive tours to our studio by prior reservation (maximum 10 people). Please contact us with dates and group size. We offer introductions to urushi in our studio, its making process and a gallery visit. The tour typically takes one hour, can be held in English and Japanese, and we ask for a small fee. Authentic 2 hour maki-e workshops using genuine urushi on real Wajima-nuri panels are available on request, please enquire for details.

I would like to invite Suzanne for a workshop, talk, or lecture.
Suzanne very much enjoys sharing her love of urushi with others and has given many lectures about urushi, traditional culture and lifestyle. Establishments where she has spoken include museums, private corporations, and universities around the world.
Please email us with details about your event, budget and schedule.
I am interested in planning and receiving guidance of educational tours in urushi.
Suzanne cooperates with universities and other educational facilities by assisting with tours of the Noto Satoyama and Satoumi area designated as part of the Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems project (GIAHS) established by the United Nations introducing the local history, the urushi art museum and visits to lacquerware companies etc. If you are an educator related to these topics interested in visiting Noto please contact us.

Do you take commissions?
At the present time unfortunately it is not possible for us to accept commissions but Suzanne’s work is available at exhibitions, selected shops and our studio (see the list above under ‘shop’).

I want to feature Suzanne for a media outlet. What do I need to know?
Over the past decades, Suzanne has been featured in a large range of media, including magazines, television programmes and online platforms.
She has hosted a couple of programmes for NHK and Asahi TV and as an active artist, that enabled her to have greater insight when interviewing other craftspeople which wouldn't be possible if she was just an observer. Suzanne also has a fair amount of TV experience being regularly featured on various programmes.
If you would like to feature her, please contact us with details about the platform, reach, scheduling and budget. Please bear in mind that Suzanne’s priority is to create artwork, but she will try to accommodate your request where possible.

Can I have private lessons or do you have internships?
I am afraid that this is not possible at the moment but I do hope to offer some kind of study / holiday facility in the future.
Do you give online courses?
I am working on a set of materials that I think would help people working by themselves who are not able to access a teacher but it’s not ready to be shared yet. In the meantime I have a large Facebook group “All things urushi“ of non-Japanese makers who post their work, pool their knowledge and help answer each others’ questions.

How can I tell the difference between authentic Wajima-nuri and imitations?
This is hard as many objects have the same finishing coat but price is a very good indicator and enquiring about the production process is another. If the substrate isn’t wooden and hasn’t been reinforced with fabric or had the layers of jinoko undercoats, then it isn’t the real McCoy. This doesn’t mean that other products aren’t good or sturdy but they won’t live up to the durability of authentic Wajima-nuri or support the craft from disappearing.
What is the difference between Japanese and Chinese urushi?
Urushi used in Japan contains a chemical compound called urushiol which is responsible for hardening urushi and its lustre. In domestically produced urushi the urushiol content is higher which makes it stronger. This doesn’t mean that Chinese urushi trees don’t produce the same quality of urushi but in China they mix all the urushi tapped together, blending poor quality with excellent quality without regard to seasonal variations whereas in Japan, it is divided by area and season so it is easier to control the quality.
For more technique-specific questions visit urushi FAQs.