Growing up with a ceramicist father in Japan, I spent much of my childhood in my father's ceramic studio. My father, Sansei Suzuki, is a celadon ceramicist in Odawara, Japan. I had been initially trained in wheel-throwing by him in the late 90s but it was only after some years of an on and off relationship with pottery that I started working on a full-time basis, creating my own style of pottery. Settling on PEI and setting up my own studio allowed me to be able to dedicate my time exclusively to Neriage pottery, which I started producing in small quantities for retail shows and sales in 2012. Over the years, I continually refined the techniques that I had discovered and developed, and occasionally consulted my father for his critique and review of my completed works. Recently, my Neriage works have been selected to be included in juried exhibitions in Japan.
My inspiration was originally drawn from what I considered rather dynamic works of some contemporary Neriage ceramics, particularly by the works of the designated living national treasure Kosei Matsui. His use of lines and gradated bands resonated with my interest in 2D illusion art and I explored ways to bring them together.
The lines I create in my work speak to the essence of my practice as each line is stained separately, then brought together to create the appearance of tonal gradation. There is an illusory intention in each piece which is achieved by exposing an elegant multitude of whirling patterns, flowing from dark to light giving the appearance of texture on the smooth surface of the three dimensional pottery. This is accomplished by careful assembly of the coloured strips and the throwing of the assembled clay that are an integral part of my Neriage pottery.
My fascination with Neriage has always been the creation of illusory effects of tonal gradation on functional pottery surfaces.
CV
UPCOMING EXHIBITIONS
Solo Exhibition, Illusory Effect of Tonal Gradation Clay on Neriage Pottery (working title) Mary E.
Black Gallery, Halifax, NS 2024.11 - 2025.01
JURIED EXHIBITIONS / CERAMIC COMPETITIONS
Collect Art Fair 2024, Craft Alliance Atlantic curated, London, UK, 2024.03
Kasama Ceramic Awards Exhibition 2021 (honourable mention/selected), Ibaraki Ceramic Art Museum, Ibaraki, Japan. 2021. 10
The 8th TOBITEN Ceramic Art Exhibition, TOBI, the Ceramic Art Society of Japan, Tokyo, Japan, 2021. 01
The 24th Mino Teabowl Exhibition, Mino Ceramic Art Association, Gifu, Japan, 2020. 04
The 13th Contemporary Tea Ceramics Exhibition, Toki City Cultural Promotion Foundation, Gifu, Japan, 2020. 03
Shimpo Teabowl Show (first place), NCECA, Portland, Oregon, 2017
GROUP EXHIBITIONS / OTHER PROJECTS
Art Lotto, The Friends of the Confederation Centre of the Arts, Charlottetown, PEI 2023.01
Toronto Outdoor Art Fair Online version, 2022. 07
Unified Earth, Ice House Gallery, Tatamagouche, NS. 2021. 10
Unprecedented - Joint Ceramics Exhibition on the Art of Neriage III, Touch Ceramics, Hong Kong. 2021. 07
Creative Obsessions, Confederation Centre Art Gallery, Charlottetown, PEI, 2020. 08
Revolution, Craft Nova Scotia, Mary E. Black Gallery, Halifax, NS, 2018. 09
Oh Canada, Craft Nova Scotia, Mary E. Black Gallery, Halifax, NS, 2017. 09
COLLECTIONS
Confederation Centre Art Gallery, Charlottetown, PEI
PEI Art Bank
EDUCATION
Diploma - Graphic Design Holland College, Charlottetown, PEI
BA - Linguistics Carleton University & University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario