VUE

"I'm more of an artist than a salesman," Kamiya says, candidly. From then on, he used the space below the showroom as a workshop, toiling away in the slow times and developing his craft. "If a customer came in," he said, "the door would ding and I'd go upstairs." Gradually he sold off the remaining inventory from Bali. It's with an artist's intent and focus that he conceptualizes his pieces, and it's as art that he sells them. "I need it to be seen as art and valued as art," says Kamiya, "it's hard because furniture is so utilitarian, it's often difficult to portray." He began his journey in furniture-making with an ethos to which he continually returns. There are three simple rules for him: no nails, no screws, no stains. "I take a purist approach to what I do", he says, "I feel it makes it special." It's his intention that the absence of these three key items will set his work apart in the marketplace. "I wanted to have a chance to be known for that," Kamiya says, "if I get that chance that would be great, mission accomplished." As for inspiration, Kamiya says he owes much to oriental minimalism and Danish mid-century furniture, the crux of which is a style that is simple, clean, and uncluttered. "I like the proportions," he says of mid- century furniture, "not too complicated, not too ornate, just good solid form." The influences are immediately noticeable in his works that employ a minimalist structure, handsome inlays, and simple brass fixtures. "I like focusing on form," he says, "it needs to have good form and be something I've never seen." Beyond classical influences though, Kamiya employs elements of creativity and exploration in his pieces. The enjoyment he garners through their manifestation is often revealed in the final work as suspended drawers, removable brass pegs and wedges, or capricious storage areas. Their functionality and use of space is a joy to discover. Kamiya treats his pieces with a plant-based oil that is durable, non-toxic, and sustainable. He then finishes with an acid-free wax " ...not too complicated, not too ornate, just good solid form. " developed by the British Museum, called "Renaissance Wax". On his website he notes that this simple, sustainable approach makes his pieces easy to maintain and care for. Kamiya first showed pieces in his first showroom in Durham and later at Mill Collective in High Point, North Carolina. Having his work at Mill Collective was an experience that he appreciated for the community it connected him with. "It allowed me to reach out to the real deal furniture makers that have been in it for a while," he says. He now resides in High Point and splits his time between building his independent collection and making commissioned pieces for clients. He produces about a dozen unique pieces a year, preferring to work on them one at a time. At the time of writing, he is working on piece number 58 of his collection. His work can be seen on his website: www.kamiyafurniture.com V U E N J .C O M 76

• Cover