We recently had the chance to connect with Scharine Kirchoff and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Scharine, thank you so much for joining us today. We’re thrilled to learn more about your journey, values and what you are currently working on. Let’s start with an ice breaker: Who are you learning from right now?
I’m learning from the world around me. There are teachers everywhere. I love to travel, so I learn from the people, cultures and the natural environment I encounter. All of my past and current experiences are stored within. I’m an intuitive learner which means I learn the most when I’m centered and pull in the life experiences around me no matter where I am in this big wonderful world of ours.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m a multi-media artist specializing in textiles. Many of the techniques that I use in my creations originate from the indigenous Ryukyu culture of Okinawa, Japan where I was born. Overtime, my work has evolved from traditional to designs reimagined thru the lens of contemporary design. I like to say that my artwork is in dialogue with the present.
Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. Who were you before the world told you who you had to be?
I was educated in the liberal arts with degrees in geology/geophysics. Professionally I worked in the oil and gas industry as a geoscientist, technologist, and manager. There came a time when I realized it was necessary for me to move towards a creative path. I had been gifted with a family heritage focused on Ryukyu arts, and it was important to me that I carry on my cultural heritage. You know, art gets inside of you whether you choose it or not. So, i went for it, and never looked back. It was just the right thing to do.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
Never. My passion and love for creating my art trumps any set-backs or fears. My craft is all about what I’m drawn towards vs. anything I may be running away from in my life.
I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. What would your closest friends say really matters to you?
Pertaining to my creative endeavors….I think my friends would say that I strive for quality in my work. My art processes are often repeated until I’m satisfied with the final piece. Most of my artwork is intuitive, so it’s important that I’m centered when I create. I strive to take my time. Then, and only then does my best work “come out” of me and become solidified into form. This is not about perfection. Instead, it’s about solidifying what’s inside me into thought and form.
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. If you retired tomorrow, what would your customers miss most?
I teach workshops on Ryukyu indigenous craft techniques. The techniques reflect deeply rooted connections between handweaving, stitching, natural dyes (e.g. indigo), natural materials, nature, and indigenous knowledge systems. The learnings enable participants to harness the knowledge, and subsequently express identity, resilience, and beliefs in their own artwork. Hence, I think that my customers would miss my workshops if I were to retire tomorrow.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://ryukyuheritagetextiles.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scharine.kirchoff.artist/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/scharine.kirchoff/
Image Credits
Personal photo captured by Pam Cravez. All artwork photos captured by the artist, Scharine Kirchoff
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