Nobuko Yamasaki : Printmaker - Everything Connected
The Unfinished Print : A Mokuhanga Podcast
Release Date: 10/31/2025
The Unfinished Print : A Mokuhanga Podcast
One of the hallmarks of mokuhanga is building a strong foundation grounded in tradition. By studying deeply and making work informed by those who came before us, today’s mokuhanga printmakers help carry this beautiful tradition forward. On this episode of The Unfinished Print, a mokuhanga podcast, I speak with Roslyn Kean, a mokuhanga printmaker who is continuing the tradition of mokuhanga while developing her own unique perspective. Roslyn’s work is a wonderful example of how mokuhanga can be both rooted in tradition and open to exploration. Roslyn and I talk about her...
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For many of us, travel to Japan is something we do once in a while. We save and plan, then journey to a country that offers so much to our mokuhanga practice. But for others, the trip becomes extended, and Japan becomes a place to build a life and make work. Japan becomes central to who they are and how they see the world. On this episode of The Unfinished Print: A Mokuhanga Podcast, I speak with Sarah Brayer, a visual artist who has made her home in Kyoto, where she has created a wide range of visual art such as mokuhanga, poured washi, fusuma murals, and aquatint. In our interview, we...
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Mokuhanga is an artistic medium that can challenge those who practice it. Over a long career, printmakers often feel the desire to see what else they can do with the medium, to push its boundaries and explore where it can take them. On this episode of The Unfinished Print, a mokuhanga podcast, I speak with Nobuko Yamasaki, a mokuhanga printmaker whose career has taken her from Japan to the United States, where she has settled in Michigan and built her life. Nobuko and I talk about her early work and her mokuhanga teacher, Richard Steiner his teachings and the...
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Collecting mokuhanga has never been easier. You no longer need to visit galleries as often; you can purchase prints online from anywhere in the world, all from the comfort of your own home. But you’d be doing yourself a disservice to stop there. Seeing prints in person at galleries is a wonderful experience — it allows you to get up close to the work, to see what your potential investment looks like under the lights, and to speak with the people who work in the galleries and collections, who can help guide you toward the right decision. One such gallery is in Tokyo and New York and has a...
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For everyone listening to today’s episode—especially if you’re a mokuhanga printmaker—you can probably trace your first step into the art form back to a single person, someone who sparked your journey into mokuhanga, however it has evolved over time. On this episode of The Unfinished Print: A Mokuhanga Podcast, I speak with that person for me: Elizabeth Forrest. Elizabeth was my first mokuhanga teacher, the one who encouraged me to study the practice and explore its technical depths. Elizabeth is an accomplished printmaker with a long and varied career. We discuss her discovery of...
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For many artists, an art career takes many twists and turns—an adventure shaped by different mediums, jobs, and ways of sustaining creative work while at the same time, educating oneself with the histories of your chosen path. On this episode of The Unfinished Print: A Mokuhanga Podcast, I speak with printmaker Charles Spitzack. We talk about his discovery of mokuhanga and how it connects to his broader printmaking practice. Charles shares his early experiences making mokuhanga, his teaching methods, and how his understanding of the medium developed through a Western American...
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If you're a creative person, going abroad, exploring the world, living in new surroundings, seeing new things can add a new dimension to your work. It can inspire you to see your practice in a new light. The influences you gather over time, especially through travel, can only enrich what you create. On this episode of The Unfinished Print, a mokuhanga podcast, I speak with printmaker Kay Watanabe. Kay has spent many years splitting her time between Australia and Japan, and in doing so, she’s developed her mokuhanga and other print work across two distinct cultural landscapes. We discuss...
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Positivity is at the heart of any kind of success. A desire to succeed, paired with a positive mindset, good friends, and hard work, can create momentum and growth in any direction you choose. On this episode of The Unfinished Print, a Mokuhanga Podcast, I speak with Michael Verne, a gallerist specializing in Japanese prints and paintings. Michael shares his approach to success, the power of positivity in business, and how he navigates the ups and downs of running a small, focused gallery. Through rich stories, both his own and those of the artists he represents, Michael offers insight into...
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Making mokuhanga takes dedication. It demands energy, a sense of empowerment, and joy in the process. It’s that passion that pushes you forward, to evolve and mature within the art form. On this episode of The Unfinished Print: A Mokuhanga Podcast, I speak with printmaker Andrea Starkey. Andrea is deeply passionate about mokuhanga—the way it feels, the process of creating, and how each print takes her on a personal and creative journey. We discuss how she expresses herself through mokuhanga, her themes, and her love of nature. We also explore the world of selling prints, and how to...
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Mokuhanga is carried by those with a desire to explore the medium to its fullest, to foray into uncharted territory, to educate many, and to draw more people to the art form. On this episode of The Unfinished Print, I speak with Vladimir Ivaneanu and Soetkin Everaert, co-founders of the Japanese print promotion project Mokuhanga Magic! We discuss how Mokuhanga Magic! began, exploring the mokuhanga journeys of both Soetkin and Vladimir, dive into the art of collaboration, share stories of their travels to Japan, and reflect on the current state of mokuhanga today. Please follow The...
info_outlineMokuhanga is an artistic medium that can challenge those who practice it. Over a long career, printmakers often feel the desire to see what else they can do with the medium, to push its boundaries and explore where it can take them.
On this episode of The Unfinished Print, a mokuhanga podcast, I speak with Nobuko Yamasaki, a mokuhanga printmaker whose career has taken her from Japan to the United States, where she has settled in Michigan and built her life. Nobuko and I talk about her early work and her mokuhanga teacher, Richard Steiner his teachings and the importance of the artist’s name he bestowed upon her. We discuss how mokuhanga continues to evolve in her mind, her use of sumi and how she harnesses its energy, how she incorporates old woodblocks as well as the concept of memory in her work. Nobuko also shares insights on baren making, and her approach to teaching mokuhanga.
Please follow The Unfinished Print: A Mokuhanga Podcast and my own mokuhanga work on Instagram @andrezadoroznyprints or email me theunfinishedprint@gmail.com
Notes: may contain a hyperlink. Simply click on the highlighted word or phrase.
Artists works follow after the note if available. Pieces are mokuhanga unless otherwise noted. Dimensions are given if known. Print publishers are given if known.
Nobuko Yamasaki - website
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