Maker 01 | Glass Studio Calore
Creator / Glass Studio Calore
Kameoka City in Kyoto Prefecture is an area rich in nature, surrounded by mountains and with the Oie River and the Hozu River, famous for its river rafting, flowing through the center. In our search for an artisan to make our glass products, we came across Glass Studio Calore, a husband and wife glass workshop run in Kameoka.
Admiral Matsumoto
Born in Kyoto Prefecture. Studied design and basic techniques in the glass craft course at Osaka Designer College, and has been involved in glass production since 1999. After working at fresco, Hakone CRAFT HOUSE glass workshop deputy factory manager, and Izu CRAFT HOUSE factory manager, he founded Glass Studio Calore in 2015.
Junko Matsumoto Born in Sanjo City, Niigata Prefecture. His parents also run a metal processing business, so he has been familiar with manufacturing since he was a child. After graduating from the Department of Art and Design at Meisei University, he worked at a glass studio in Kyoto after completing his research. After working on glass, he founded Glass Studio Calore with Daitoku.
Earth and trees,
Just as people have warmth,
Glass also has a warmth to it.
Calore means "warmth" in Italian. Many people perceive glass as cool or cold, but Matsumoto wants to convey that glass also has a "warmth" to it. How can we make people feel the warmth when they pick it up? By playing around with color, shape, and thickness, the warmth of the work is adjusted during the production process. He specializes in making tableware for everyday use, and his works are mainly displayed in galleries.
The details of INK PUDDLE / BIRD are carefully crafted by hand, one by one, using delicate techniques to attach molten glass to a rod and shape it while still in its lump form.
Manufacturing is,
Don't turn down a job that is asked of you for technical reasons.
Matsumoto, who has been involved in glass production for over 20 years, has a motto of making basically anything within the scope of glassblowing. He specializes in tableware for everyday use, and says that finishing the pieces so that people can pick them up at home without feeling nervous is both difficult and interesting. She smiled and said that what makes her happiest is when customers who buy her products tell her, "I use it every day."
"River boating" began as a way to transport goods downstream to Kyoto and Osaka using the waters of the Hozu River. The river boat ride from Kameoka to Saga-Arashiyama is also famous as a tourist spot.
A place where you can create things at your own pace.
Kameoka City, located in the central-western part of Kyoto Prefecture, is a 20-minute train ride from JR Kyoto Station and has a peaceful atmosphere.
When we asked them about their feelings about Kameoka, where their workshop is located, they said, "The laid-back atmosphere of Kameoka suits our style." They also said they hope that through their craftsmanship, they can help people from other prefectures learn about this area.
It seems like a place that can fulfill the desire to work at one's own pace.
It is made to be durable so that it can be used every day.
The glass used in the workshop is called semi-crystal. It is important to make durable products using high-quality materials so that they can be used every day. He wants users to feel free to use the pieces, even if they are pieces that they would want to display. They also offer glassblowing experiences, which are very popular among locals. Please check their website for reservations.
Post-interview notes As they both value warmth, they are a very warm-hearted couple. When we asked each other about the good points of working together, "I've come to understand the functional beauty of transparent glass" (Daisuke) and "I enjoy the freedom of focusing on design" (Junko), giving the impression that their respective styles have a positive influence on each other. (TAG STATIONERY STORE staff T)
