What is Momigami? What’s good about?
Some of my most recent pieces in 2025 are made with Momigami technique with cold wax.
Momigami literally means “kneaded paper.” To me, Momigami technique represent Resilience. Because by crumbling and kneading, the paper becomes stronger like a clothe. It’s a process made by hand. It changes, or I could say, transforms the material or character of paper into a flexible, durable, fabric-like material. It would add texture, depth, and beauty with the wrinkles or scars.
I found this as metaphor of our life’s pain and struggles. It involves – transformation.
As I first draw the star maps, star trails, climate change charts, and computer codes by hand, and also from my imagination of the universe on paper, I feel it seems depicting our inner state with the similarity of our brains that handle emotions and universe— my own arrangement, perhaps similar to neurographic drawings, which I found later on after my intuitive drawing and research (I knew nothing about neurographic drawing before). In the process of making each piece in this series, I have a specific Bible verse that I want to convey to those who are discouraged. I meditate on it and create which becomes the act or worship God. In place of the traditional Tapioca starch for kneading, I use cold wax as a contemporary international person (I use hot wax as well in the same series, so). I mix with East and West, both ancient and modern techniques.
The process can be meditative and mindfulness. It can be an art therapy.
By experience, this Momigami-making will be one of the stress-reduce-methods or healing methods. I teach a workshop. Please contact us if you, your group, or your organization are interested. We can customize with your need. (2025 is full. Please schedule with us about 2026/2027).
★ “Alignments” (detail – Right side of 40 x 17 inch | 101.6cmx43.2cm), Watercolor, archival ink, acrylic, cold wax on paper (Momigami), 2025.
This painting was created in response to the six-planets alignment that occurred this summer (Planetary Alignment, August 10, 2025), a celestial moment that felt both grounding and inspiring. It is part of my “How Can You Show Love…?” series. Layered with different medium (mixed media).
6-planets are: Neptune, Saturn, Uranus, Venus, Jupiter, and Mercury.
Images below are coming …
★ “Higher Than Mountains” 2025
— Psalm 121:1-3
Archival pigment ink, watercolor, acrylic, cold wax on paper (Momigami),
Mounted on Japanese scroll.
w16xh40.25 (w23.25xh72.5 with scroll)
This work (and there are other pieces, not on the show) has been created under the concept of [In and Out of the Blue]. Hope in the blue and darkness. How can we cope with struggles, grief, and life’s challenge? We can rethink or remind ourselves where our help comes from.Psalmist says, “My help comes from the Lord who made the heaven and earth, and He will not let you stumble and fall…” We are mere humans and when we humble myself, I can see more clear hope. It is also important to care about the earth that God created. It shares the common message with my series both the latest a climate change related series ” How Can You Show Love…? and “Stars and Desert” series.
★“Venus II – Evening Star”
w42 x h17
★“Venus I – Morning Star”
w40 x h17
The Momigami works belong to the series “How Can You Show Love….?” (climate change). Momigami means “kneaded paper.” To me, Momigami technique represent Resilience. Because by crumbling and kneading, the paper becomes stronger like a clothe. It’s a long process made by hand. It changes into a flexible, durable, fabric-like material. It would add texture, depth, and beauty with the wrinkles or scars. I found this as metaphor of our life’s pain and struggles. It involves transformation.
I draw the star maps and universe to depict the similarity of our brains that handle emotions and universe—similar to “Neurographic” drawings. In the process of making each piece, I have a specific Bible verse that I want to convey to those who are discouraged. I meditate on it and create which becomes the act or worship God. In place of the traditional tapioca starch for kneading, I use cold wax as a contemporary international person (I use hot wax as well in the same series, so). I mix with East and West, both ancient and modern techniques. Also, this Momigami making can be a healing method.
Misako OBA 