Tree Scene 158

Hajime Namiki was born in 1947 in Sumida-ka, Tokyo, Japan. When Namiki turned 18, he started studying architectural sculpture and woodcarving under the mentorship of the renowned sculptor Shigeyama Ogura. Five years later, in 1970, Namiki first exhibited at the Japan Wood Carving Federation Exhibition; in 1974, he joined the Japanese Association of Sculptors. At this time, Namiki focused on the intricate woodcarving of different bird figures: hummingbirds, kingfishers, hawks, and falcons.

By 1978, Namiki decided to switch his attention to woodblock printing. With his extensive experience in woodcarving and in painting wooden bird sculptures, the sōsaku-hanga art movement specifically appealed to Namiki.

By the 1980s, his talent and innovative techniques were recognized first in Japan and then in the United States. From 1987 onward, Namiki was selected to exhibit at the prestigious College Women’s Print Show in Tokyo, Japan. In 1985, 1987, and 1989, he was invited to visit the United States.

In 1996, Hajime Namiki met Kappy Hendricks, one of the world’s foremost authorities on contemporary Japanese prints. Recognizing Namiki’s talent, Kappy organized annual solo exhibits for Namiki in her art gallery in Bethesda, Maryland, and promoted his art to several American museums. Namiki’s works were selected by the Smithsonian, the Library of Congress, the Art Institute of Chicago, Nancy Reagan’s White House art collection, and many others.

At the age of 76, Hajime Namiki continues working in his studio in Tokyo.