The Japanese American National Museum Volunteers will present its 12th annual craft boutique online with their Virtual Kokoro 2020 fundraising event set from Nov. 14 through 30. Proceeds will benefit JANM’s Education Programs.
Traditionally, the Kokoro boutique has featured as many as 55 vendors who sell unique jewelry, kimono fabric fashions, handbags, ceramics, origami, glass art and even pet accessories. The one-day event was held on-site in the JANM Pavilion. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the onsite event was not possible this year.
Instead, the JANM Volunteers have organized the Virtual Kokoro 2020. Shoppers can watch a video featuring all of the talented vendors on JANM’s YouTube channel (YouTube.com/janmdotorg). It will also show beautiful hand-crafted products from all participating vendors. Shoppers can purchase available items directly from vendors during this period. The organizers ask shoppers to write “Kokoro2020” on their orders so that JANM will receive a share of the proceeds.
The 42 vendors participating are: 6 Degrees of Hapa; Acorn Works; Alyson Iwamoto Ceramics; Art Mina; BGK Gems; Bizu; Boy Cherie Jewelry; Charming Little Lotus; Color Conscious; Creative Handcrafted Gifts; DaTojos; Ecommshipments; Elua Crafters; Fugetsu-Do; Happyshirts; imoriknits; JKiyomi Designs; Joan Flax; Kelley’s Kookies; Kiobi Designs; Kirei Cositas; konodomazo; Lileeku Jams; Madame Sakura Craft; mi so happi; N&M Enterprises; Papermum Press; ParasolPaperworks; Pomegranate; Pontigo; Pulp X Stitch; Raffi; sewKimono; Shibori Girl Studios; Simmisu Paper Co; SOLSISS; Some Mo Craft; Stacy Wong; Studio Engravers; Susan Facklam Jewelry; Suzye Ogawa Designs; and TABFabric.
This event is sponsored by the JANM Volunteers. For more information and updates about the Virtual Kokoro 2020 event, go to janm.org/kokoro or to blog.janm.org. To inquire, email kokorocraft@gmail.com.
Established in 1985, JANM promotes understanding and appreciation of America’s ethnic and cultural diversity by sharing the Japanese American experience. Located in the historic Little Tokyo district of downtown Los Angeles, JANM is a hybrid institution that straddles traditional museum categories and strives to provide a voice for Japanese Americans as well as a forum that enables all people to explore their own heritage and culture.
Since opening to the public in 1992, JANM has presented over 70 exhibitions onsite while traveling 17 exhibits to venues such as the Smithsonian Institution and the Ellis Island Museum in the U.S., and to several leading cultural museums in Japan and South America. For more information, visit janm.org or follow on social media @jamuseum.