NOTOJIMA, Ishikawa Pref. -- A glass studio recently invited a craftsman from a country with a long tradition of glasswork to spend a year on this small island teaching the art of creating Czech-style glassware.
Stefan Kovacik, 50, a Czech glassmaker, arrived in March to share his expertise with craftsmen at the Notojima Glass Studio and help those learning to create works of art using the medium of glass.
Although he has learned only a smattering of Japanese since his arrival six weeks ago, Kovacik and his new Japanese colleagues seem to be able to communicate through their work together. Indeed, the artists at the studio have already learned a great deal from Kovacik.