Bird Pin, carved by June Shimizu, Tule Lake, 1944

Bird Pin, carved by June Shimizu, Tule Lake, 1944

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Description
June and Tsuneyo Shimizu were sisters who were both incarcerated during WWII. They were imprisoned at the Tule Lake and Topaz concentration camps. While there the sisters picked up arts and crafts to pass the time and express their creativity. This tiny bird was carved by June, and displays her skill in woodworking. June and her sister would use any materials they could find to make their art, so June most likely found some leftover wood to carve out this delicate bird. On the back "Tule Lake 1944" is written to signify when and where it was made. The Shimizu sisters learned how to express their perseverance through the new art forms they adopted during their time of forced imprisonment.
Location
Currently not on view
Object Name
pin
date made
1944
place made
United States: California, Tulelake
Physical Description
wood; paint (overall material)
Measurements
overall: 1.2 cm x 2.8 cm x.11 cm; 15/32 in x 1 3/32 in x 1/32 in
ID Number
2015.0210.01
accession number
2015.0210
catalog number
2015.0210.01
Credit Line
Gift of Dale Cawley
See more items in
Political and Military History: Armed Forces History, Japanese American
Data Source
National Museum of American History
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