MONTHLY NEWS
July 2002

Young Artist's Work in Fashion

Being stuck inside when you're sick can be pretty boring, so many of us turn on computer games and TV to pass the time. Not eight-year-old Shintaro, though. When he was sick at home one day last year, he found some beads to play with. This sparked his interest, so Shintaro borrowed some books about beadwork (jewelry and artwork using beads) from the library to learn more. Soon he was using his free-time making works of art with the beads, something that his mom wasn't too happy about at first.

"I wasn't really against it, but I did try and get him interested in other things," says his mother. She was worried because most boys aren't interested in beads. However, she soon changed her mind and supports Shintaro now. She says that's because, "He just enjoys making things and giving them to people."

After a year he is still enjoying himself with beads. He has about ten books on beads now, and he's become a familiar face at the local arts and crafts store. Many other boys might be interested in trying this, but what does a boy do with bracelets and necklaces made from beads? "That's easy," says Shintaro. "Give them away as presents to your mother or anybody else who wants them." And there certainly are a lot of people who want them.

His fashion accessories have become popular among girls at his school and moms in his neighborhood. Not only that, but his talent is becoming known outside of his neighborhood in Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture.

Last year he entered his works in an arts and crafts contest held in neighboring Kasugai City and became the youngest ever winner of the top prize. This year he won the contest again, picking up a new interest while he was there. After talking with some people who entered their knitting in the contest, he tried that out and decided he liked it too. Now he is pursuing his interest both in knitting and in beadwork.

Shintaro has some advice for kids who try artwork for a while but get bored with it: "Don't give up. Just put it down for a while and do something else. You can come back later when you want to do it again. You should do what you want to do." Excellent advice for children and adults alike.

Photos: (Top) Shintaro likes making things, like this "scorpion robot"; (second) Shintaro shows off the creations that won him first prize in a contest; (third) Shintaro teaches boys and girls how to knit; (bottom) Origami beetles, which Shintaro made to show his friends in other countries who will see this page on Kids Web. (Mikako Matsumoto)