Kumiko Frydl

Kumiko was born and grew up in Tokyo. She studied merchandising and interior décor at a Japanese art college, while also learning to sew. She then lived in Canada and Great Britain before settling in Houston, Texas.

Kumiko really does havemore than one string to her bow! She has always had a keen interest in exploring the cultures and architectures of the countries that she visits, and is permanently expanding her field of vision, by applying the new techniques that she acquires not only to patchwork, but to quilted clothing and bobbin lace and to making dolls.

Kumiko would be the first to admit that her house is something of a curiosity cabinet! She displays her work there which also includes very sophisticated boxes decorated with postcards from England. Each of her miniature quilts is framed in relief on a darker background, bringing out the full beauty of the work.

Kumiko has lost count of the number of prizes she has won since 1988, as she is awarded one almost every time she enters a competition. Despite this well-deserved success, she does not take herself too seriously and sometimes wonders how she has managed to create such work: this is demonstrated in the titles she gives her quilts: ‘I am Still Sane’ and ‘Mission: Impossible’.