Akihiro Okama

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I came to know glass work through seeing my father Yasuhiro working on his pieces.
I had always seen his work near by on a regular basis. Being a company worker, I wasn’t interested in glass work at all.
However, sitting whimsically in front of the torch to make one by myself, that started my fascination with the fun and beauty of glass. Although, my father only taught me the basic practices of glass making, he said strictly “You need  to learn by observing! “.
Everyday, continuously, I observed his work to learn his way and put my consideration into my work.  After one year of study, I started serious production. Since then, I have devoted myself to the joy of creation,the passion to create better and more beautiful pieces than others, and I started to feel fulfilled with my work.
Recently, I reached the point where I am not tied to ancient and traditional patterns of glass beads, but with my own unusual style of realistic patterns and expression.  For example, creating flowers and butterflies as lively as they can be, this is always in my mind for my productions.
It’s not an easy thing to achieve, but it brings me great joy when I can make the patterns just like I imagined in my mind,
and when I can make my artwork in more complete form.
Also, It encourages me a lot and makes me so happy when I hear a customer say “I am moved” or “it’s beautiful” looking at my work .  My policy and dream is to create not just Japanese but also world level art pieces, to pull the unlimited possibilities of glass, not to feel too easy with the work I created, and to try to make not only glass beads but something beyond.
Currently, I have my studio in Nara city and I work hard on production. Appreciating encounters of new people,  I go to the galleries and department stores for my exhibitions all over Japan and foreign cities.
Recently, I expanding my production into paperweights and marbles which are still new to Japan.

Akihiro Okama was born in 1970 at Nara Japan.
He started to learn beads making from his father, Yasuhiro in 1996.
Same year he establish Glass Studio Hand to create his own style of glass art.
participated the workshop by Loren Stump(CA) in 2003.
He started to expand his glass seen to oversea, since 2005 He started to work shop around the world.
participated the workshop by John Kobuki and Josh Sable in 2006 .
His work has been collection at Conning Glass Museum, and Kobe Lampwork Museum in2008, participated the workshop by Chris Buzzini(OR) in 2008.
He started to make Paperweight in 2010 , He continue to teach and creating his way of glass art.

If you have interested my works,please send email to me!

http://www.glassstudio-hand.com/contact/