Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/161202
thrive PORTRAIT OF AN ARTIST Yamada uses a metal mixing technique, which creates a textured finish. A master at this ancient art, Yamada crafts custom rings, pendants and bracelets in numerous metal combinations. Hiroko Yamada A master of mixed metals U.S. to study art, her move was about more than a change in culture—it was a change in scale. Having first learned about Japanese art through her family, she went on to earn a bachelor's degree from Kyoto University of Art and Design and work with a graphic design and architectural firm in Tokyo. But in Madison, she finally honed her skills on a much smaller scale: metal jewelry. Today, Yamada owns downtown's HYART Gallery, which features fine art from around the world as well as her own work, including jewelry, pottery, glass, photography and mixed media. Yamada is best known for creating burled jewelry, called Mokume-Gane, which mixes metals in a kiln at temperatures of more than 1400 degrees. She uses the technique with numerous metal combinations—and the results are striking. Whether in large scale or small, Yamada attends to great detail while crafting timeless objects. –Karin Wolf HYART Gallery. 133 W. Johnson St., Madison. (608) 442-0562. hyartgallery.com 22 brava magazine | september 2013 Photographed by Shanna Wolf When Hiroko Yamada came to the