Subtle Beauty

Shibumi Gallery
1402 Fifth St.
Berkeley, CA 94710
510-528-7736
shibumigallery.com

“I like making things look good,” says the jeweler/gallerist April Higashi, be it the right accessory on a client or the warm, serene, “earthy-modern” environment of Shibumi, which offers contemporary art, jewelry and clothing by established and emerging makers, including Biba Schutz, Eric Silva and Karen Gilbert, who made Towered Earrings, Antler Necklace and Seed, respectively.

How did you become an artist?
My grandfather was an artist. He was Japanese American, and more kinesthetic about the way he interacted with me when I was young. Instead of talking, he took me drawing. I was always naturally drawn to visual things, touching; that’s how I learned. He was a big influence. My mom cultivated that and put me around a lot of art.

I was raised in Salt Lake City, which is kind of an unlikely place for someone who’s not white and not Mormon. I just always was used to being different and enjoyed seeking out individuality because I was already in that place anyway. I knew I wanted to live someplace more multicultural, so I came to San Francisco for school, and got a degree in textiles and fine art [at the Academy of Art University]. I was interested in fashion, but really liked the process of making.

Why did you open a gallery?
I’ve always loved presenting things. My jewelry only felt complete when it was displayed properly. An environment affects me because I’m aesthetically drawn, but I think it’s really important even for people who aren’t aware of aesthetics. It affects them on a subliminal level and they feel more at ease. With jewelry, context is so important—who’s buying the work and how it looks on them, as much as the way it’s presented. I like things to have a place.

My husband, Eric Powell, is a metal sculptor, and he made all of our cases. One, for rings, has counterweights in it and a door that slides up; it’s a beautiful experience for people. I carry nontraditional commitment and wedding rings, such as Todd Reed’s Rose Cut Diamond Eternity Bands, and that’s been a good base for my clientele, because you build such a relationship with people. It’s very intimate. They enjoy coming back, and they’ll buy gifts and move into other areas of the gallery.

You offer different services—events, visual consultation.
I do four to five shows a year, plus trunk shows to introduce clients to an artist’s work. I also do consulting. One of my clients who is a big art jewelry collector hired me to hang all of her artwork. We also built her a beautiful display where people could see her jewelry. She found a really interesting table and we put felt in it and cut slits where all the jewelry could go, and arranged all the drawers.

What’s the meaning of shibumi?
A subtle and deeply moving beauty cherished by artists and connoisseurs.