Pathways
2nd - 13th September
Private View - Saturday 6th, 14:00 - 16:00, including a poetry reading by Poet Jonathan Ward at 14:30.
Open daily 11:00 - 16:30
Closed Sundays. Free Admission.
Drawn together for Pathways, five visual artists and a poet show works arising from immersion in the landscape.
Exhibitors:
Diamonds
Jill Sharpe
30th September - 11th October
Open daily 10:00 - 16:00
Closed Sunday. Free admission
An exhibition of work mostly created in the past five years made using the traditional English Paper Piecing technique. Working on an isometric grid and with careful fabric and colour choices I have designed original pieces of work. These are constructed entirely by hand using the method which involves cutting precisely sized papers over which the chosen fabric is tacked. The pieces are then joined together using whip stitch and the pattern is built up gradually to create the whole. When complete the papers are removed and the piece tacked to wadding and backing to create a surface ready for quilting. Threads are chosen and a stitch pattern that enhances the piece is used to complete the piece.
The works average 500 individual pieces and take several hundred hours to make. It is often remarked that I must be very patient to make work like this but I am certainly not a patient person. I love stitching, it is part of me, and I am persistent and I enjoy the process of developing a pattern and realising a design I have created
Future dates to look out for: September 2025 | Norwich 20 Group
Judith and Donald Richards: An exhibition of Glass Fused objects and silver gelatine and platinum/palladium prints
14—18 October 2025
Okinawan Kōgei: Crafting Continuity and Change
Centre for Japanese Studies
Wednesday 29 October, 2025 - Saturday 1 November, 2025
Exhibition at the Crypt Gallery, Norwich.
29 October: 10:00–16:00
30 October – 1 November: 10:00–17:00Free admission.
Lecture at Duke Street Lecture Theatre, Norwich University of the Arts.
Monday 3 November, 17:00 GMT
Free admission.
Workshop at Norwich University of the Arts.
Saturday 1 November, 10:00 & 14:30 GMT
Free admission.
About the Exhibition
This autumn, Norwich welcomes Okinawan Kogei: Crafting Continuity and Change — a landmark cultural event introducing the vibrant traditions and contemporary expressions of Okinawan craftsmanship to UK audiences for the very first time.
The exhibition brings together eight leading artists from Okinawa Prefectural University of the Arts, presenting works in weaving, bingata dyeing, ceramics, and lacquerware. These works highlight the richness of Okinawa’s Ryukyuan heritage while showcasing its innovative modern developments. Visitors will encounter the artistry of:
Hanashiro Miyako (weaving)
Kubota Hiroko (weaving)
Nago Tomokazu (bingata dyeing)
Ura Kyōko (bingata dyeing)
Yamada Satoshi (ceramics)
Shimabukuro Katsushi (ceramics)
Tōma Shigeru (lacquerware)
Matsuzaki Shinpei (lacquerware)
In addition to the exhibition, a hands-on craft workshop and a public lecture by Professor Kobayashi Junko will offer opportunities to engage directly with Okinawan art and culture. These events will foster dialogue between Okinawan artists, Norwich communities, and students from both regions, encouraging new cultural and academic connections.
Curated by Dr Eriko Tomizawa-Kay (University of East Anglia), in partnership with Okinawa Prefectural University of Arts, the Sainsbury Institute for the Study of Japanese Arts and Cultures, and Norwich University of the Arts, the project highlights Okinawa’s distinct cultural identity and broadens the scope of Japanese Studies in the UK.
Okinawan Kogei: Crafting Continuity and Change is more than an exhibition — it is a celebration of creativity, resilience, and cross-cultural exchange, offering UK audiences a rare opportunity to discover the depth and diversity of Okinawan craftsmanship and its place in the global art world.
Organisers
Acknowledgements
This project is generously supported by the Japan Foundation Endowment Committee, The Japan Foundation London, The Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation, and the Nomura Foundation.
Contact
For press inquiries, images, and further information, please contact:
Dr Eriko Tomizawa-Kay, Sainsbury Institute Associate Professor in Japanese Art History.
Email: e.tomizawa-kay@uea.ac.uk
University of East Anglia
Image: Kyoko Ura, Sea (2018) [kimono] and Moonlight (2024) and Moonshadow (2024)