Bruce Mack
The Minneapolis Institute of Art has world class sections of Korean, Japanese, and Chinese art. Yesterday I saw a several gallery exhibit of urushi lacquer, along with video portraits of several artists at work. I really enjoyed it, and have signed up for a November 19 lecture by a Japanese artist and professor, Matsushima Sakurako, who will discuss the history and present usage of this technique as well as demonstrate coating using raw urushi. If you live in the region or are passing through I think you will enjoy this.
I have read occasional articles by woodworkers using urushi but have not seen such work live until now.