Kiri at Casa 66

Kiri at Casa 66

About

Hello and thank you for visiting my profile! My name is Kiri and I’m a product designer who is originally from Tokyo. When I was young, I moved to the East Coast of the United States, where I spent much of my formative years. I later studied at Pratt Institute in New York and began my career in the fashion industry. My main field is particularly leather goods, and over the years I’ve worked across fashion, product development, and creative projects in Japan, the US, Italy, and Korea. Until May last year, I also worked as a manager for an artist-in-residence program in Fujiyoshida, a nearby city at the foot of Mt. Fuji. That experience made me think a lot about what makes a residency genuinely comfortable for an artist. As a creative person myself, I know that sometimes the most valuable thing is simply having space and time to be left alone. My idea for this residency is therefore quite simple: a warm and welcoming atmosphere, but without too much interference. We can live under the same roof, each quietly doing our own thing, and perhaps occasionally share dinner, go somewhere together, or make something together if it feels natural. If you need help finding art supplies, researching local materials, visiting a particular place for your work, I may also be able to help. I now live in Lake-Yamanaka with my Shiba Inu, Uta, very close to Mt. Fuji. I hope the house can be a relaxed place where artists can work at their own pace, experience everyday life in Japan, and feel both independent and welcome.