Mariko Sumioka’s sculptural jewelry is a poetic dialogue between cultures, merging the architectural sensibilities of East and West into intimate, wearable form. Based in Tokyo and shaped by her years at Edinburgh College of Art, Sumioka draws inspiration from the harmony of structure and space — her pieces echoing the clean lines, geometric rhythms, and subtle contrasts found in both traditional Japanese architecture and contemporary design.

Her creative process is rooted in an intricate collaging technique, uniting precious metals with bamboo, enamel, patina, and fragments of antique kimono. Through this layering of materials and memories, Sumioka creates miniature compositions that invite touch, contemplation, and discovery.

Fascinated by architectural elements — roof tiles, frames, and the shifting play of light and shadow — she transforms them into jewelry that functions as both artifact and vessel, holding traces of personal stories and fleeting moments.

Sumioka’s own path mirrors this layering. Born in Aichi Prefecture, Japan, she first pursued economics before rediscovering her childhood passion for jewelry. Her journey between Tokyo and Edinburgh has shaped a visual language that bridges cultures, materials, and time.

“The stories inside these miniature treasures are unfinished,” Sumioka reflects. “It is up to the wearer to invent the rest.”

Her jewelry becomes an invitation — each brooch, necklace, or box a quiet frame through which new meanings can emerge, connecting artist, object, and wearer in an ongoing narrative of beauty, memory, and belonging.