Artist Feature: Mayumi Sterchi (HIMO ART)
Mayumi Sterchi is the the creator and maker of HIMO ART. She was born and raised in Japan, but moved to San Diego in 2004 - which has become her second home. Read our Q&A with Mayumi below:
Tell us a little about you and what you do:
I am a mother, a wife and an art maker who loves spending time at the beautiful beaches in San Diego with my family. I make sculptural wall hangings with fibers. I’ve been doing it since 2010. Also, I have had an interest in ceramics for a long time and began incorporating this about a year ago using hand building and wheel throwing techniques into my work. Combining both mediums has been very exciting. I have a lot of new ideas and I’m enjoying every step of the creative process.
What is your design inspiration?
My inspiration comes from my life in Japan especially my childhood memories. I’ve been living in the USA for almost 15 years and I realized that It’s really important for me to keep those great memories close to my heart and revisit my roots. Having a creative outlet through art is one key component of my happiness. Also it’s very satisfying to express what’s in my mind through my creativity. Those thoughts lead me to many ideas when I design the pieces. Each piece I create comes from my heart.
What is the most inspiring piece of advice you ever received?
My focus is quality over quantity. This is one of the quotes I like:
“Go slow to go fast. We live as though there aren’t enough hours in the day but if we do each thing calmly and carefully we will get it done quicker and with much less stress.” -Viggo Mortensen
What is your favorite knot or technique?
Half hitch knot. I like its simplicity.
If you could make a piece for anyone in the world, who would it be and what would it look like?
It’s not for a person but for a place I love. There is a shrine called Kitaguchi Hongu Fuji Sengen shrine (The traditional starting point of climbing trail of Mt. Fuji) close to my parents’ house and that’s one of my favorite places. I want to decorate the huge cedar trees that line up along the long shaded pathway with my ceramic tassels! 
Any advice for up and coming artists?
When I started selling my work on Etsy back in 2013, there were only a few artists making macrame wall hangings. The market was completely different. It is hard to beat the algorithms nowadays. But I believe there is always a space for everyone to succeed. I think it’s important to have your own vision by being true to yourself. Don’t follow trends. Make your own trend. What makes your work stand out is the uniqueness of having your own style.
Also, make sure to take a good break and do some stretch exercise before, in between and after knotting/weaving to avoid getting tendinitis and carpel tunnel!
May uses various types of our rope in her stunning creations - including the Peach, Wheat, and Natural 5mm Rope.
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