Each time I visit Sarah Brayer at one of her studios in Kyoto I feel a deep sense of peace and pleasure: peace at entering a calm environment where one can take in the artwork on display, and pleasure at the visual treats arrayed. 

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The artist is always working on a new series, exploring the possibilities of kozo mulberry fiber in particular. Her fascination with light sources, and especially the moon, has led her to create many wondrous images.  One night, from her veranda, I watched the moon rising, unobstructed, over the nearby fields. I could imagine its light filtering in to her imagination and have seen it many times since in her work.

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The last time I visited her in Kyoto, it was spring and we went off to visit one of the many gardens at Daitokuji Temple. Sarah just happened to know which garden had a hidden restaurant. We sat outside, admired the flowers, and felt the warmth of the sun on our faces.

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After years of working exclusively in the print medium, the artist wanted to challenge herself and discovered the field of papermaking. She makes paper from mulberry bark fiber in the 800-year-old village of Imadate, Echizen. In 2013 the Japanese Ministry of Culture awarded her the Commissioner's Award ( Bunkacho Chokan Hyosho) for her dissemination of Japanese culture abroad through her creations made from Echizen handmade paper. 

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Collectors are, of course, equally drawn to her earlier beautiful editions depicting Japanese landscapes, as well as to her more abstract unique paperworks.