Keiko Arai

Style

Studied under Eiko Serikawa, apprentice of the late Goyo Hirata, Living National Treasure. She creates dolls by carving paulownia wood and finishes with whitewash and cloth.
She learned the "saicho" technique (painting layers of colored whitewash and carving out the patterns) established by Serikawa, and uses it in some of her artwork.
She tries to express the inside of a person, such as a person's spirit or mind, in her dolls.

Biography

• 1947
  Born in Nagano
• 1990
  Studied under Yuki Iijima (- 2000)
• 1994
  Selected for the first time at the 12th Dolls Traditional Kōgei Exhibition
• 1996
  Selected for the first time at the 36th East Japan Traditional Kōgei Exhibition
• 2000
  Studied under Eiko Serikawa ( - 2017)
• 2002
  Selected for the first time at the 49th Japan Traditional Kōgei Exhibition
• 2006
  Becomes Full Member of the Japan Kogei Association
• 2008
  Takes the successors' training course held by Living National Treasure Komao Hayashi
• 2017
  Solo Exhibition at Gallery 82 (Nagano CIty)
• 2018
  Solo Exhibition at Kyu Otagiri House (Suzaka CIty, Nagano)

Awards

• 2002
  Received the East Japan Branch Award at the 42nd East Japan Traditional Kōgei Exhibition
• 2006
  Received the Nagano Board of Education Award at the 59th Nagano Prefectural Art Exhibition
• 2010
  Received the JA Chuoukai Award at the 63rd Nagano Prefectural Art Exhibition
• 2011
  Received the Nagano Mayor Award at the Traditional Kōgei Original Doll Exhibition in Nagano
• 2012
  Received the Incentive Award at the East Japan Traditional Kōgei Exhibition
• 2013
  Received the Hachijuni Culture Foundation Award at the 66th Nagano Prefectural Art Exhibition