Oka's Workspace
The name "Ten to Sen Moyo Seisakusho" (Dot and Line Pattern Studio) has a somewhat institutional ring to it. In reality, it is a brand run solely by Rieko Oka, a textile designer born in Hokkaido. Since its launch in 2008, she has nurtured the brand around the creation of patterns, and since 2012, she has periodically published books of designs and other works.
What is embodied in "dots" and "lines"
When asked about the origin of the brand name, Oka gives a characteristically honest answer. She says that when she first started her activities, she was very bad at drawing flowers and animals. "If I use dots and lines, I'm sure I can draw anything" - she named the brand after this self-encouraging cheer. There was also a reason for choosing kanji characters. Hiragana would have been too soft. She felt that "I can't continue without the strength of kanji." She wanted to engrave her stance of making pattern creation her foundation into the name itself.
Leading up to patterns
Oka majored in spatial design at university, but in her third year, she felt stuck and took a leave of absence. Pulled by the word "art," a vague misconception that she had to create something difficult or fashionable stopped both her hands and her thoughts.
Before returning to school, she consulted her professor about wanting to change a space with tablecloths and cushions, and wanting to create patterns (fabrics) for that purpose. The professor mentioned William Morris and advised her that "researching wallpaper patterns rather than fabric patterns would teach you the fundamentals of patterns." The reason was that wallpaper, once applied, cannot be changed for a while, allowing one to deeply consider the meaning of patterns that do not become tiresome even after long viewing. Oka says, "My professor's words cleared the fog from my stagnant thoughts." Through creating wallpaper, she learned that beautiful patterns have meaning and background, and can evoke various feelings in those who use them.
Afterward, she spent two years in graduate school questioning "the raison d'être of patterns." She referenced the walls of Sen no Rikyu's tea ceremony room and logically built up the conclusion that "people cannot live in pure white." She also said she referred to visual psychology. She still says that she has never created things based on感覚 (instinct); rather, creating things by considering their meaning has become her unique style.
When the heart moves, it becomes a pattern
"If I don't see something or have a moment where I think 'that's nice,' it doesn't lead to creation," says Oka. Her creative process begins with emotional movement.
She doesn't photograph the scenery in front of her. Instead, she first translates the memories that move her heart into words. "Tall, slender pampas grass plumes," "puffy clouds." By putting them into words, only the core of the pattern remains, not a copy of the facts, and after the image expands in her mind, she moves on to idea sketches.
The "BIRD GARDEN" product we carry was also inspired by the sound of birds coming from the night forest. The berries and leaves were all added from her imagination. "Fox's Path" was born from finding fox footprints. Starting with facts seen with her eyes, she layers memories and emotions on top to grow the pattern. Her words, "The memory of collecting seashells makes me happy," and "The person who sent me a package with many stamps might have wanted to show me that scene—thinking that makes me happy and leads to a pattern," perfectly describe this process. More than objects themselves, it is the memories and emotions related to those objects that are the seeds of Oka's patterns.
To become material for someone's life
She doesn't stick to one type of art material. When she wants a rustic yet strong feel, she uses crayons; for transparency, watercolors; and for clear outlines, paper cutting. The nature of the pattern she wants to draw dictates the choice of materials. She aims to create one to two original patterns per year, saying, "It's important to increase the variety of patterns. It gives customers more choices."
Her consistent approach is shown in her statement, "I strongly desired to create something that could be repeated and mass-produced, rather than a single artistic piece like a painting." Precisely because the interior of a house is an artificial space, she wants to create patterns with the feeling of bringing the outside in. A pattern fulfills its role only when it becomes a material for someone's life—this idea is at the core of Ten to Sen Moyo Seisakusho.
I first met Oka in 2012. More than 10 years have passed since then, but Oka's approach to patterns has not wavered in the slightest.
Oka's favorite art materials
