Nao Kobayashi
Nao Kobayashi creates work primarily from pre-owned materials, guided by a commitment to environmental sustainability. Her practice is informed by over two decades of exploring fabric techniques, including folding, rolling, patching, draping, patterning, sashiko, mending, and embroidery. Through these methods, she transforms used textiles into expressive forms that carry stories of both history and renewal.
At the heart of her work is the idea that every person is unique. Each creation is therefore one of a kind and entirely handmade. Rather than reproducing patterns, she approaches each piece as an open process of discovery. She sculpts shapes directly with fabric, drapes them intuitively, and creates patterns freehand. Irregularities—unexpected proportions, mismatched colors, and varied textures—are not corrected but embraced. She finds beauty in these imperfections, revealing a sense of balance and harmony in surprising ways.
In addition to her studio practice, Nao designs and fabricates puppets and costumes for entertainment, art, and educational settings. Originally from Japan and now based in Northern California, she holds an MFA in Costume Design and Technology from San Diego State University and a BA in Technical Theater from Sonoma State University.
Over the past decades, she has worked across television, film, fashion, and live performance, collaborating with production companies, educators, arts organizations, and independent artists, as well as dancers, musicians, and performers in Japan and internationally.
