Washington Kite Festival

Every year one of the largest kite festival takes place here in Washington.

http://www.sunderland-kites.co.uk/default.asp

Kite makers from across the world display their colourful creations in the sky throughout the festival, with kites, wind sculptures and flying paintings. Here is a sample of what’s on offer…..

North East Kite Fliers showcase. A chance to see the remarkable work of our own regional kite group made up of people from throughout the North East. Members meet regularly to fly their kites and hold workshops to make new ones and to share skills. Find out more about the group and talk to members. European Air Gallery
Now owned by the North East Kite Fliers, this project was initiated by Sunderland City Council and is a stunning collection of Edo style kites, painted by artists from different European countries.

Ohye Makoto - Japan
Makoto lives near the town of Daimon in Japan where they also hold an annual kite festival. He is a kite master and also a tea ceremony master.

“My kites are called Kaudako and are made of paper and bamboo. It is one of the traditional Japanese kite designs. Most Japanese kite makers draw the same picture MUSHA-E, DARUMA, UKIYOE etc…. I like to draw my own original picture on my kite but still to use the traditional Japanese kite design.”

“I am a landscape gardener. When I make a garden I need knowledge about the tree, the stone, the weather, the water, the house, the history etc. Kite making is the same; I must know about the history, the paper, the bamboo, the colour, the line, the story of the picture etc. The kites tell me much about humanity.

Official Wbsite - www.sunderland-kites.co.uk