akihiro ohkama's bio, glass marble,glass beads

Akihiro Ohkama

Akihiro Ohkama 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.　2002 his glass bead was presented to imperial highness of Takamadomiya.
He started to expand his glass seen to oversee, In 2003 he was invited to demonstrate At Taiwan International Glass Art Festa, and since 2005 he started to work shop around the world.　He was started to work with borosilicate glass in 2006,　and participated the workshop by John Kobuki and Josh Sable and he was fascinated by the Marble and Paperweight.　Same year he started to make his style of glass marble and pendant.
His work has been collection at Conning glass museum, and Kobe Tonbodama museum.　2008, he opened his new studio at Nara, Japan and he continue to teach and creating his way of glass art.　

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! ". Every day, continuously, I observed his work to learn his way and put my consideration into my work.
I have been involving with glass art for 13 years. And last 4 years I started to make glass marbles.
Most of my glass career I have worked with Stake glass and to created Tonbodama but after explored and communicated with glass artist from oversea,
I have gained the knowledge and skills with borosilicate lampworking and I have been fascinated by creating glass marble and paperweight using borosilicate glass.
I have trying to create something real and precise, if it was like flower or butterfly, I try my best to create look alive. Most of the time I still having hard time to do something I have imaged but when I did, it brings me the pleasure and that keeps me create new pieces.
I will keep trying to create something that could accept by not only for Japan but all over the world with limitless possibility of glass art.