The Wisteria Gardens brand was created in 2008 as a name for a site about tsumami zaiku - the traditional handicraft of Japan. Since 2009, Wisteria Gardens has been also involved with kimono, a traditional Japanese national costume.
The Wisteria Gardens brand is one person, namely Kinga Owczarska. Designer, artist, an artisan combined, Wisteria Gardens lives and creates in Warsaw. An English teacher, she works at the Academic High School at the Polish-Polish Computer Academy.
About myself:
For some reason, I was always drawn towards Japan. It makes me think of peacefulness, striving for perfection. My relationship with tsumami zaiku started when I was seeking information about kimono. I came across a site with information about tsumami zaiku and kanzashi, which geisha trainees, or maiko, wear. I fell in love at first sight and started looking for information on how to make them. I tried many other handicraft techniques, but in the end, I remained faithful to one technique: tsumami zaiku.
Since then I have been training, trying, searching, constantly polishing my skills.
Questions and Answers:
1. What is Kanzashi?
Kanzashi is the name used for all kinds of hair ornaments in Japan: pins, combs and any variations thereof.
2. What is the difference between kanzashi and tsumami zaiku?
The name tsumami zaiku is the correct name of the technique (it means something folded, handicraft from folding elements). Hana tsumami kanzashi is a kind of a specific hairpin with a floral motif. It boils down to:
hana = flower
tsumami = fold / pinch
kanzashi = hairpin
3. What materials are used in the Wisteria Gardens workshop?
The pride of Wisteria Gardens is using natural, traditional materials. There is no place for low quality or half measures in the form of ribbons or flowers made on templates. In Wisteria Gardens studio, we care for tradition but also for safety - I use non-toxic rice glue and water-based adhesives. Kanzashi from the Wisteria Gardens studio is 100% hand made thus the materials are high-quality natural silk and rayon chirimen, that is, artificial silk.