Aikido: Living by Design by Saotome Mitsugi

One of America's foremost martial artists, Mitsugi Saotome, shares his work and thoughts on the arts, including sculpture, textile art, calligraphy, gardening, and cooking. An over-sized, full-color book, Aikido Living by Design combines photos of Saotome's own artwork with his philosophical reflections on values in art and life. Included, among other media in this beautifully-photographed compendium, are many photos of Saotome's

* hand-sewn, wearable art clothing combining traditional Japanese kasuri fabric with denim and leather

* works combining wood with stone and other materials,

* works of Shodo, Japanese calligraphy

Throughout, he offers his views on how Aikido's philosophy, which he learned as a disciple of the art's founder, applies to the basic questions of life.