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These little cases are fashioned after Japanese inro that were used instead of pockets to carry small items such as medicines, personal seals, tobacco and coins. The inro was worn by looping the cord through the belt or obi. The bead, called ojimé, is used to hold the lid closed. Traditionally made of wood, ivory or lacquer, these boxes are hand-fashioned from polymer clay. The patterns are created with a technique called mokume gane. This was originally a method of folding metal for swords to resemble woodgrain. Each pattern is one of a kind.
As a watercolourist, I love the unpredictable nature of this form and the way colours flow and blend. I am also a student of iaido, hence my interest in inro and mokume gane.