Harue Shimomoto manipulates glass into sculptural tapestries, examining the aesthetic possibilities in fusing methods and concepts from the mediums of glass and fiber. Her installations move beyond the wall to create pathways through a complex network of glass rods, transforming space into a meditative journey. Shimomoto prizes simplicity and clarity, seeking to distill her impressions into forms which express their essence. This precisely arranged glass environment captures her experience of a particular aspect of each season: a summer storm, a quiet autumn rain, the crisp cold winter night sky, and the reflective surface of a spring pond. “I appreciate the feelings I get from even the most unspectacular nature and the little things in everyday life.” Shimomoto says. “I find the small beauties of nature are the ones that most change my view.”

The fragility of a glass environment has an immediate visceral impact which she appreciates. But, she says, “I do not want the viewer to be too conscious of the glass. I almost believe that it is too beautiful to be a medium. Many people see it as a functional object or decorative material. I want to break those images and give it a different quality. Therefore, I am careful to make my work stronger than the medium.”

In her work, Shimomoto strives for what she calls “a strong quiet; the quiet of a mountain.”