About the Artists

Hirose Yuichi is the fourth-generation head of Hirose Dyeworks, which has produced Edo-komon-dyed fabrics for over 100 years. After graduating from university, Hirose took over as head of the family business and continues to find new ways to bring Edo-komon to modern users, including the creation of Edo-komon stoles. Today, Hirose sells traditional works at high-end stores in Japan while expanding the art form of Edo-komon fabrics through collaborations with foreign and local designers.

Originally trained as an illustrator, Keiko Nasu has been studying the art of Ise Katagami since 2010 under the guidance of Yoshinori Ikuta, a tsukibori master. She is part of a group of young craftspeople called Tokowaka, who aim to promote and preserve traditional Japanese crafts through city projects, workshops, and conferences.

Born and raised in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, Yoko Maruta is dedicated to preserving and promoting the legacy of Ise Katagami. She is passionate about introducing this ancient craft to younger generations by collaborating with companies to create innovative products, seeking inspiration from different aspects of nature’s beauty. Through these efforts, she hopes to ensure the continuity of a tradition over a hundred years.

About the Moderator

Longtime Japan resident Steve Beimel has been involved with Japanese culture since the early 1970s. He produced in-depth cultural tours with Esprit Travel & Tours, a Japanese culture-focused company that he founded in 1992.  In 2018, he founded JapanCraft21 (NPO) to save and revitalize Japanese Master Crafts. They started a school in Kyoto teaching joinery skills to working carpenters, a program supporting apprenticeship in vulnerable craft genres, and national contests that give ongoing support to craftspeople. Steve holds an M.A. in Counseling Psychology, and lives in the Kyoto foothills with his wife, Ritsuko, an ikebana instructor.

This exhibition is organized by Rebecca Becerra and Nina Shimaguchi, with support from the Yasuhiko and Akemi Saitoh Foundation. 

Special thanks to the Consulate-General of Japan in Houston, Japan-America Society of Houston, and JapanCraft21 for their help organizing and promoting Stenciled Elegance.

Stenciled Elegance is sponsored by the Yasuhiko and Akemi Saitoh Foundation. Exhibitions and their related programs at Asia Society Texas are presented by Nancy C. Allen, Chinhui Juhn and Eddie Allen, and Leslie and Brad Bucher. Major support comes from The Brown Foundation, Inc., the City of Houston through Houston Arts Alliance, Houston Endowment Inc. Generous funding also provided by The Anchorage Foundation of Texas, National Endowment for the Arts, and Texas Commission on the Arts. Free Thursday exhibition admission presented by The Nyquist Family. Additional support is provided by The Clayton Fund, Leigh and Reginald Smith, Ann Wales, the Wortham Foundation, and through contributions from the Exhibitions Patron Circle, a dedicated group of individuals and organizations committed to bringing exceptional visual art to Asia Society Texas.

Presenting Sponsors

Nancy C. Allen
Leslie and Brad Bucher
Chinhui Juhn and Edward Allen

Program Sponsors
Yasuhiko and Akemi Saitoh Foundation

Program Partner

 JapanCraft21

Japan Series Sponsor

About Asia Society Texas

Asia Society Texas believes in the strength and beauty of diverse perspectives and people. As an educational institution, we advance cultural exchange by celebrating the vibrant diversity of Asia, inspiring empathy, and fostering a better understanding of our interconnected world. Spanning the fields of arts, business, culture, education, and policy, our programming is rooted in the educational and cultural development of our community — trusting in the power of art, dialogue, and ideas to combat bias and build a more inclusive society.