Netsuke Carving going on RIGHT NOW at the Art Museum!

Montana artist Nick Lamb, shown above, has begun his netsuke carving demonstration for the evening. The picture above was taken just minutes ago in the Art Museum lobby!

Stop by this evening to see what he's creating! Nick has brought examples of his work that you can pick up and see hands-on. There are books to look at, tools to see and Nick is here to answer your questions about netsuke.

This event is free and open to the public.

Netsuke Carving Demonstration on Monday Evening

A netsuke titled, Chanticleer, by Montana artist Nick Lamb. Lamb will be at the museum on Monday night to give a netsuke carving demonstration.

Photo courtesy of the artist.

A netsuke carving demonstration by Montana artist Nick Lamb will be held at the Art Museum on Monday evening, October 5 at 6 pm. Netsuke are small toggles that were worn with traditional Japanese men's clothing. The netsuke hung from the obi belt of a kimono to counterbalance the weight of a small pouch or medicine box. This public program is being held in conjunction with the exhibition, Ichiro: Netsuke, A Life's Work, The Huey G. and Phyllis T. Shelton Collection of Ichiro Inada Netsuke that is currently on view at the Art Museum through November 14.

Lamb carved his first netsuke in 1983 and is today recognized as one of the foremost contemporary, non-Japanese netsuke carvers. Lamb began his formal training in graphic design while attending Berkshire College of Art in his native England. In 1973 he started woodcarving as a hobby. By the early 1980s he had won several woodcarving prizes. His work has been exhibited internationally.

Bring the family by the Art Museum this Monday night at 6 pm for this fun, educational and FREE event! For more information, please call 307.766.6622.

Netsuke Carver to Give Demonstration at the Art Museum

Nick Lamb, Netuske carver
Image courtesy of the artist

Nick Lamb will be at the Art Museum on Monday, Oct. 5, to give a demonstration on carving netsuke from 6 - 8 pm. Netsuke are small carvings used in traditional Japanese clothing to counterbalance pouches hung over the belt of kimonos.

The demonstration is scheduled to coincide with the exhibition, Ichiro: A Life's Work of Netsuke, The Huey G. and Phyllis T. Shelton Collection. Ichiro was a 20th century carver and the Shelton collection is the largest known collection by a single netsuke artist. It was gifted to the University of Wyoming Art Museum this year. The exhibition runs from Sept. 12 through Dec. 22, 2009.

Lamb was trained as a graphic designer at the Berkshire College of Art in his native England. He started woodcarving in 1973; by the early 1980s, he was winning woodcarving prizes. He carved his first nestuke in 1983. Since then, he has become one of the most celebrated non-Japanese carvers of netsuke and other traditional Japanese miniature forms.

Lamb's work has been exhibited internationally, including the British Museum, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art at Cornell University, the Museum of East Asian Art in Berlin, the Chiba City Museum of Art in Japan, and the Museum of Art & Design in New York. He is a member of the Society of Animal Artists.