About the studio - We feel that when the aesthetics of one’s surroundings are consciously considered, it changes the world in the most unusual ways. We like interesting projects and meeting the people behind them. We like collaboration and finding a creative thread in all our work.

About April:

1968
April grew up in the mountains of Salt Lake City, Utah with her favorite trees the whispering aspen. She was always busy making things.

1972
From an early age her grandfather Kenneth Higashimachi, a painter, would take her on walks to draw when he came to visit the mainland.  This inspired her to use her original full name on her jewelry chop.

1977
At age 8 she decides she’ll be attending college out–of-state.

1980
She receives a sewing machine for Christmas and starts sewing many of her clothes, most of the time leaving the pattern in the package.

1986
Voted “most likely not to live in Utah”, from her high school senior class. Already in agreement, she fled willingly to San Francisco for college to study art and experience city life. She is immediately at home with her multi-ethnic background of Japanese, French and German.

1990
Received her BFA at the University of San Francisco, in conjunction with The Academy of Art, with her emphasis in textiles. After graduation went off traveling to see more of the world.

1991-2
Worked in the rag trade at Esprit de Corp. After a very educational year there she ultimately decided the large company garment industry just wasn’t for her. During a company cleaning she chose to be laid-off and co-created a jewelry company named Fortuna Metalsmiths.

1992-6
The second confirmed jewelry order was 130k, and funded her jewelry and entrepreneurial education. The company opens over 300 accounts around the world.

1996-2002
April independently continues her exploration in contemporary art and jewelry, design, and a love for beautiful clothing. She forms her own company, Metaru Studio. She exhibits her jewelry both nationally and internationally, showing at The Victorian & Albert Museum, London, Oakland Art Museum, Velvet da Vinci, SF and Aaron Faber, NYC.

During this time she has some diverse career experiences. These include running her own jewelry company, working with Susan Cummins Gallery, mentoring under June Schwartz, enamel artist; buying for the Paris-based Lilith clothing; consulting as Art Director for the Jerry Garcia Estate; Curating exhibitions; and teaching at California College of the Arts.

Somewhere in there, she meets her companion, Eric Powell, Sculptor, a studio neighbor in The old Serta Mattress Factory in San Francisco.

2003
April updates her company name, Shibumi Studio, to reflect her design projects along with her jewelry work.

2004-present
After 18 years in the city she and Eric acquire a new live/work space in the multi-cultural Berkeley, CA. The unique space accommodates their many ideas and latest creations. Accompanying them are their cats Yuko & Jaguar the world’s most fabulous wedge-head Siamese.

2005-present
Founded Shibumi Gallery to exhibit her work, her partner Eric Powell’s sculpture, along with a discerning collection of artists in a beautiful and elegant atmosphere.

Selected Exhibitions

2006
Philadelphia Museum of Art Craft Show, Philadelphia, PA
The Art of Enameling, Mobilia Gallery, Cambridge, MA
Bracelets, Aaron Faber Gallery, New York, NY
Valentine's Show, De Novo Gallery, Palo Alto, CA
SOFA, The Works Gallery, Chicago, IL

2005
Solo show, The Works Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
Contemporary Enamel Exhibition, Taboo Gallery, San Diego, CA
In Print / In Person, Thomas Riley Gallery, Cleveland, OH
Summer, Aaron Faber Gallery, NYC, NY
100 Broaches, Velvet da Vinci, San Francisco, CA
Design Reconsidered, ACCI Gallery, Berkeley, CA

2004
Collect, Victorian Albert Museum, Velvet da Vinci, London, England
5th Year Anniversary Show, Sculpture to Wear, LA, CA
Focus on Enamels, Part II, Aaron Faber Gallery, NYC, NY
SOFA, Aaron Faber Gallery, NYC, NY

2003
Brilliant! Masters of Fired Enamels, Palo Alto Art Center, Palo Alto, CA
Asian Roots, Western Soil, Visual Poetry in Metal, NJAHS, San Francisco, CA
SNAG, The Oakland Museum Collectors Gallery, Oakland, CA
Chess: Velvet Da Vinci, San Francisco, CA, Vennel Gallery, Irvine, Scotland,
Ruthin Craft Centre, Denbighshire, Wales, Craft Council Shop, Victorian Albert Museum, London, England, Kohler Arts Center, Sheboygan, Wisconsin, I/O Gallery, New Orleans, LA, Fuller Craft Museum, Brockton, Massachuetts.

2002
Craft Showcase 3, Museum of Craft & Folk Art, San Francisco, CA
Tis The Reason, Michael Martin Galleries, San Francisco, CA
NCEG International Enamel Exhibition, Richmond Art Center, Richmond, CA
Departure, Michael Martin Galleries, San Francisco, CA

2001
Tis The Reason, Michael Martin Galleries, San Francisco, CA
Higashi and Pfeifer, Velvet Da Vinci, San Francisco, CA
Full Circle, The Oakland Museum Collectors Gallery, Oakland, CA

2000
Tiaras Will Be Worn; Velvet Da Vinci, San Francisco, CA ,Thomas Mann Gallery, New Orleans, LA, Sam Shaw Gallery Northeast Harbor, MN, 2001, SNAG Conference, Richmond, VA
NCEG International Enamel Exhibition, Velvet Da Vinci, San Francisco, CA
Salon, Place Pigalle, San Francisco, CA
Ring Masters, 0x0x0 Gallery, Baltimore, MD / Stone Harbor, NJ
Swedish + USA Contemporary Jewelry and Metalwork;
Galleri Mettallum. Stockholm, Sweden

1999
Swedish + USA, Velvet Da Vinci, San Francisco, CA
Site Specific, The Oakland Museum Collectors Gallery, Oakland, CA
Art To Wear, Lilith Boutique, San Francisco, CA
Jewelry Installation Project, The Jewelry Art Forum, Oakland, CA
NCEG International Exhibition, The Richmond Art Center, CA, 1999
Summer Jewelry Invitational Exhibition, Velvet Da Vinci, San Francisco, CA

1998
Holiday Invitational Exhibition, Rivaga Art, Washington D.C.
Higashi and Gard, Velvet Da Vinci, San Francisco, CA

Affiliations:
MMG Foundation; which is dedicated to expanding the educational horizons of children through art, Board Member, San Francisco, CA

Artist Statement
My work examines the connection between jewelry and clothing with the wearer. It reveals how context effects how an object is perceived. Removed from its’ functional aspect, the wearer is invited to relate to jewelry as art.

I use enamel to create rich color fields, markings and textures. By creating layers of glass, I can create translucent paintings. In the process of heating glass in the kiln there is always an unpredictable element at play. I am attracted to the depth, textures, translucency, and bleeding which happens during firing. In a sense I am marking imperfections in layers to create beauty and balance. Therein lie the unique properties of fusing glass with metal.

I look to create a simple sense of beauty and leave a timeless imprint for the audience’s reflection.