The Art that Inspired the Art

“My story began at ten years old in my grandfather’s garage in Hawaii. His garage was filled with tools; he encouraged me to make something, anything. I cut out a simple ninja star from a sheet of stainless using nothing but a hacksaw and files. It was crude, but I loved the process. However when he showed me his own perfectly measured version using a compass and calipers, I learned the beauty of precision, that something imagined could be shaped into something lasting. A few years later, at a knife show, I picked up a small scrap of damascus steel and turned it into my first ring overnight. The reaction I received showed me that craft could carry meaning. By sixteen, I was encouraged to start Yoshizaki Designs, driven by the same lesson my grandfather taught me: always make the next piece better than the last. What began with a simple star has grown into heirloom pieces of metal and story: art meant to outlast its maker.”