About the Artist: Yoshiko Yamamoto

Yoshiko Yamamoto and her staff are passionate about printing traditional block prints and letterpress note cards at the Arts & Crafts Press in Tacoma, Washington. They print all their notecards using antique letterpress-printing presses. And Yoshiko’s colorful limited-edition linoleum and woodblock prints are made using the multiple hand-carved blocks. While preserving and advancing the traditional aspects of letterpress and woodblock printing, she strives to print for our future generations. She is committed to searching for alternative, “greener” printing materials and tools, ecological packaging solutions, and safer studio supplies.

Born and raised in Tokyo, Japan, Yoshiko’s love of printmaking began early. “I have long admired the artistry and craftsmanship of traditional “mokuhanga” the Japanese woodblock prints that intricately portrayed flowers, trees, birds, and insects. I have also been fascinated by their use of natural materials, such as kozo paper, bamboo-wrapped baren, and cherry woodblocks in order to create a beautiful print.“

Today her artwork starts in her daily life – during her hikes and simple walks around the neighborhood, or when her hands are dirty in the garden. Those moments feed her artistic spirit, sending her back to her studio to create another print. Hiking and sketching al fresco are two of her favorite artistic rituals. She loves spending time out-of-doors and making images that are inspired by nature.

You can see more about Yoshiko and her work at her website artsandcraftspress.com