Touching Stone Japanese pottery, ceramics, & sumi-e Gallery

Touching Stone Gallery Show Archives 2013 Exhibitions Click on images to see the shows
	August 2 - 24, 2013 Tadashi Nishihata & Haruna Nishihata: Two Generations of Master Tanba Pottery This marks the 100th show since inception of Touching Stone Gallery. To celebrate the occasion, we are privileged to showcase the works of two generations of a master potter family. Three-time winner of the Tanabe Museum of Art-sponsored Chanoyu Zokei Ten Grand Prize, Tadashi Nishihata is a master potter in the historic pottery center of Tanba. His massive, beautifully wood-fired masterpieces are legendary. We are pleased to introduce his daughter Haruna Nishihata, an accomplished ceramist in her own right noted for her elegant hand-painted Mingei style pottery. In this extraordinary show, father and daughter team up for the first time to showcase the contrasting styles of the duo from this exceptionally gifted family.
	July 5 - 27, 2013 Yukiya Izumita: Weathered Beauty Izumita's exhibition, his fifth solo show in our gallery since 2009, showcases the unique ceramic sculptures of this award-winning artist from Tohoku, Japan. Izumita has gained world-wide recognition for his innovative works inspired by nature and landscapes, where beauty and decay, destruction and renewal are forever and inseparably intertwined.
	June 7 - 29, 2013 Quintessence: Paintings by Sheila Mahoney Keefe & ceramics by Tadashi Ito Artist reception: June 7, 5-7 p.m. Beauty has no boundary. It can be found across medium, from diverse cultures, geographic locations, and religions. With this in mind, we pair two outstanding artists of diverse media and backgrounds in this extraordinary evocative joint show. Sheila Mahoney Keefe is a Santa Fe artist whose mystical, evocative abstract paintings are deeply rooted in Roman Catholicism. Tadashi Ito is an award-winning ceramist from Tohoku, Japan, whose quiet contemplative ceramic sculptures are inspired by nature and Zen Buddhism. The energy and aesthetics of the duo complement and enhance each other in this unusual show.
	May 3 - 25, 2013 Jonathan Cross: Origin Artist reception: May 3, 5-7 p.m. Touching Stone Gallery is privileged to introduce an exceptionally gifted American ceramist Jonathon Cross, whose distinctive pottery that combines traditional wood-fire techniques and innovative forms is destined to gain recognition in contemporary American ceramic art.
	April 5 - 27, 2013 Keiichi Shimizu: Tanba Modernism II Artist reception: April 5, 5-7 p.m. Noted for his modern interpretations of forms built upon the long traditions and materials of Tanba pottery, Keiichi Shimizu explores three-dimensional interplay of lines and surfaces. His deceptively simple and elegant forms are in fact sophisticated aesthetic expressions, brought forth by use of Tanba clay with contrasting colors and texture.
2012 Touching Stone Gallery Exhibitions Click on images to see the shows
	December 7 - 28, 2012 Tadashi Mori - Exuberance! Following his last two exhibitions in Touching Stone Gallery that can aptly be called artistic tour de force, award-winning ceramist Tadashi Mori continues with more ambitious projects, including two shows in France and a recent retrospective exhibition in Paramita Museum in Japan. The current exhibition features his masterworks selected from the Paramita Museum exhibition and never exhibited new works.
	July 27 - August 22, 2012 Yukiya Izumita - Aurora Aurora - the Goddess of Dawn - symbolizes hope and renewal. Award-winning ceramic artist Yukiya Izumita devoted his creative energy to turn memories of the 2011 earthquake-tsunami that devastated part of his home town into objects of hope and beauty.
	June 29 - July 25, 2012 Hiroyuki Wakimoto - Testaments Internationally known award-winning artist Hiroyuki Wakimoto is one of the most influential contemporary ceramists from Bizen, Japan. He set new directions and standards with innovative works inspired by ancient Japanese and Chinese pottery, and pioneered exploration of composite forms fired in different parts of the kiln to achieve contrasting colors and decorations. This exhibition - Wakimoto's 9th solo show in Touching Stone Gallery - is inspired by his visit to Santa Fe.
	June 1 - 27, 2012 Hiroki Murata - Seeing Beyond Murata studied under the late Ikuo Hirayama, one of Japan's greatest Nihonga painters. Inspired by a trip to Santa Fe, Murata developed a new style by combining the technical precision of Nihonga and the spontaneity of traditional sumi-e (Oriental ink painting). The result is an unusually evocative style that has been compared to woodblock prints or early impressionistic black-and-white photographs. His new show pushes the envelope of how he uses the medium to capture not just the forms, but the feelings of the land.
	May 4 - 30, 2012 Fusako Akao - Memory of Time Touching Stone Gallery is privileged to introduce Fusako Akao, who developed her distinctive style while studying under her innovative mentor Kiyoyuki Kato in Gifu, Japan. Akao has dedicated her career to use clay to explore conceptual ideas. This exhibition is the first time her highly original works are shown in the USA.
	April 6 - May 2, 2012 Keiichi Shimizu - Tanba Modernism Noted for his modern interpretations of forms built upon the long traditions and materials of Tanba pottery, Keiichi Shimizu explores three-dimensional interplay of lines and surfaces. His deceptively simple and elegant forms are in fact sophisticated aesthetic expressions, brought forth by use of Tanba clay with contrasting colors and texture.
2011 Touching Stone Gallery Exhibitions Click on images to see the shows
	December 2 - 30, 2011 Within/Without - Toubako (Ceramic Box) Show An exhibition of extraordinary toubako (ceramic boxes) by eight outstanding artists: Yoshitaka Hasu, Kiyoharu Ichino, Yukiya Izumita, Tadashi Mori, Tadashi Nishihata, Tim Rowan, Keiichi Shimizu, and Hiroyuki Wakimoto.
	Aug. 5 - Sept. 7, 2011 Tadashi Ito - Quintessence Winner of the prestigious Musee Tomo Prize, Tadashi Ito is noted for his simple yet sophisticated and elegant forms inspired by nature, seashells in particular. Each piece captures some fleeting magical moment of wonder. Looking into Ito's sculptural work is like peering into an eroded half-exposed seashell. As Ito put it, it's like being let to glimpse upon some hidden secret of the universe.
	July 1 - Aug. 3, 2011 Yoshitaka Hasu - Eminence Widely regarded as one of the most distinctive ceramic artists from the historic Japanese pottery center of Iga. Yoshitaka Hasu's work is instantly recognized by the meticulous designs, bold forms and dramatic firing, a style that he pioneered by combining natural wood ash and iron glaze to highlight the strength and texture of Iga clay.
	June 3 - June 29, 2011 Fumiko Kurokawa - Moments of Grace Perhaps the best way to describe Kurokawa's sumi-e painting is to quote Arthur Dow - "The painter ...put upon the paper the fewest possible lines and tones; just enough to cause form, texture and effect to be felt. Every brush-touch must be full-charged with meaning, and useless detail eliminated. Put together all the good points in such a method, and you have the qualities of the highest art."
	May 6 - June 1, 2011 Tim Rowan - Artifact After receiving his B.F.A. from State University of New York, American ceramist Tim Rowan went to Japan and studied with renowned Bizen artist Ryuichi Kakurezaki. Rowan utilizes the training to pursue his personal visions, creating a highly distinctive style that combines strength and restraint. His forms are simple, relying on a minimum amount of information and detail. Yet his work has the capacity to engage on different levels that are best experienced when one allows the work to reveal itself over time.
	April 1, 2011 Yukiya Izumita - Still Point The award-winning works of Japanese ceramist Yukiya Izumita evoke awe and amazement. One seldom expects to see clay honed to razor-thin edges, torn apart, twisted at impossible angles like giant origami, to create sculptures with tension and beauty, forms that appear unpolished and at the same time complete.
2010 Touching Stone Gallery Exhibitions Click on images to see the shows
	Nov. - Dec. 2010 Ryo Mikami - Mujo (Impermanence) Touching Stone Gallery is honored to host the American debut for noted ceramist Ryo Mikami from Kanagawa, Japan. This exhibition is a creative tour de force exploring the constant flux of human existence through a series of clay masks, each embodying a distinct emotion, hand-calligraphed in Japanese character on a presentation box.
	August 2010 Tadashi Nishihata - Tanba Masterworks Tadashi Nishihata, three-time winner of the Tanabe Museum of Art Chanoyu Grand Prize, devoted much of his career to re-establish the long lost techniques for the beautiful Akadobe-yu (red clay glaze) finish found on old Tanba pottery made during the early Edo period. After decades of research, he successfully reproduced the finish in 2001. This exhibition features 21 pieces that showcase Nishihata's masterworks with his beautiful Akadobe-yu, Hai-yu, and natural ash glaze.
	July 2010 Yukiya Izumita - Still Point In 2009, Touching Stone Gallery was privileged to introduce ceramist Yukiya Izumita, an award-winning artist from Tohoku, Japan. Izumita's seemingly effortless forms belie their conceptual and technical sophistication. His work, which is inspired by nature, conveys a sense of the passage of time and its effects on the land.
	June 2010 Wang Nong - Song of Silence One of the great Chinese painters of his generation, Wang Nong captures beauty with extraordinary passion and sensitivity. His breathtakingly beautiful landscapes somehow convey a haunting sense of melancholy, giving the feeling of peering into the soul of a poet who has been through his share of life experience. With over a hundred exhibitions to his credit, this will be his fourth exhibition in the US and the first since 2006.
	May 2010 Hiroyuki Wakimoto - Legacy Internationally known award-winning artist Hiroyuki Wakimoto is one of the most influential contemporary ceramists from Bizen, Japan. He set new directions and standards with innovative works inspired by ancient Japanese and Chinese pottery, and pioneered exploration of composite forms fired in different parts of the kiln to achieve contrasting colors and decorations. This highly anticipated exhibition will be Wakimoto's 8th solo show in Touching Stone Gallery.
	April 2010 Kiyohru Ichino - Red Waves One of the most original contemporary ceramists from the historic pottery center of Tanba, Kiyoharu Ichino strives to bring out the natural beauty of Tanba clay - a ferrous mountain soil that turns a rich purple-brown color after firing - using centuries old techniques in his wood-fueled kilns. His style is innovative without losing connection with traditions. His works appear to be integral parts of the clay rather than separate objects made from it. To emphasize the roughness of the mountain clay, he often creates 'wounds' on the surface to expose the underlying textures.
2009 Touching Stone Gallery Exhibitions Click on images to see the shows
	Nov. - Dec. 2009 Yoko Terai - Elusive Beauty A rising star among the "Kyoto school" of contemporary Japanese ceramists, Yoko Terai follows her successful shows in Touching Stone Gallery in 2004, 2005 and 2007 with a body of new work that embodies beauty, grace, and an unmistakably feminine sensitivity. Her new show is inspired by the elegance of movements.
	August 2009 Tadashi Ito - Quintessence II Another award-winning contemporary ceramic artist from Tohoku is Tadashi Ito, whose extraordinary work was first shown in America in 2007 in Touching Stone Gallery. Ito is noted for his elegant and sophisticated forms inspired by nature, especially seashells. Peering inside some of the shells half-exposed by erosion, he feels he glimpses some secrets of the universe, the quintessence of life. His showpieces capture those fleeting magical moments of wonder and inspiration.
	July 2009 Yoshitaka Hasu - Contemporary Wood-fired Iga Ceramic Yoshitaka Hasu is widely regarded as one of the most distinctive ceramic artists from the historic Japanese pottery center of Iga. His works are instantly recognized by their meticulous designs, bold and strong forms, and dramatic firing, a style that he pioneered by combining natural wood ash and iron glaze to take advantage of the unique textures and characters of Iga clay. This will be Hasu's 3rd exhibition in Touching Stone Gallery, following his very successful shows in 2007 and 2008.
	June 5 - July 1, 2009 Masamichi Terada - Kakishibu-dyed Textile Kakishibu, an ancient technique to dye fabrics using fermented persimmon juice, is an 'endangered' Japanese art form. We are honored to have introduced master kakishibu artist Masamichi Terada in his successful American debut in Touching Stone Gallery in 2007. This exhibition will showcase Terada's new works inspired by nature.
	May 2009 Yukiya Izumita - Ceramic Forms Unbound Touching Stone Gallery is privileged to host the first solo exhibition in America for Yukiya Izumita, an award-winning young ceramic artist from Tohoku, Japan, whose seemingly effortless forms belie their conceptual and technical sophistication. Izumita's style offers an interesting contrast to that of Tadashi Ito, another exceptional ceramic artist showing in our gallery this year (See below).
	April 2009 Hiroyuki Wakimoto - Contemporary Wood-fired Bizen Ceramic Internationally known award-winning artist Hiroyuki Wakimoto is one of the most influential contemporary ceramists from Bizen, Japan. He set new directions and standards with innovative works inspired by ancient Japanese and Chinese pottery, and pioneered exploration of composite forms fired in different parts of the kiln to achieve contrasting colors and decorations. This highly anticipated exhibition will be Wakimoto's 7th solo show in Touching Stone Gallery.
2008 Touching Stone Gallery Exhibitions Click on images to see the shows
	Nov. - Dec. 2008 Reiko Kakiuchi-Cohen Reiko Kakiuchi-Cohen's unique and stunning Echizen pottery can be traced back to her late husband, American ceramist Ben Cohen, who lived for many years in Japan. Ms. Kakiuchi-Cohen's works embody strength and femininity, a fitting tribute to the legacy of these artists.
	August 2008 Yoshitaka Hasu One of the most distinctive ceramic artists from the historic Japanese pottery center of Iga, Yoshitaka Hasu is known for his meticulous designs, bold and strong forms, and dramatic firing that bring out the unique characters of Iga clay.
	July 2008 Tadashi Nishihata Tadashi Nishihata devoted much of his career to re-establish the techniques for the beautiful "Akadobe-yu" (red clay glaze) finish found on old Tanba pottery made during the early Edo period. After decades of research, he successfully reproduced the finish in 2001. This is a major contribution to the Japanese pottery tradition. In both 2005 and 2006, Nishihata won the coveted Grand Prize of the Chanoyu exhibition sponsored by the Tanabe Museum of Art, the first time this prestigious award has ever been bestowed to the same artist in two consecutive years.
	June 2008 John Guernsey Santa Fe artist and Zen practitioner John Guernsey paints with his mind. Many of his paintings are done in a single stroke. His unique collection of evocative minimal oil-on-paper works demand absolute concentration not only from the artist, but also from the viewer.
	May 2008 Keiichi Shimizu Noted for his modern interpretations of forms built upon Tanba traditions and materials, Keiichi Shimizu explores three-dimensional interplay of lines and surfaces. His deceptively simple and elegant forms in fact embody sophisticated geometric plays of lines and surfaces, brought together by use of indigenous Tanba clay with contrasting colors and texture.
	April 2008 Kiyoharu Ichino One of the most original contemporary ceramists from the historic pottery center of Tanba, Kiyoharu Ichino strives to bring out the natural beauty of Tanba clay - a ferrous mountain soil that turns a rich purple-brown color after firing - using centuries old techniques in his wood-fueled kilns. His style is innovative without losing connection with Tanba traditions. His works appear to be integral parts of the clay rather than separate objects made from it. To emphasize the roughness of the mountain clay, he often creates "wounds" on the surface to expose the underlying textures.
Selected Earlier Exhibitions Click on images to see the shows
	Dec. 7 - 29, 2007 Susan Christie - Dewdrops & Moonlight Contemporary sumi-e showcasing the dynamic evocative power of the medium, inspired by light, water and poetry.
	Nov.23 - Dec.29, 2007 Yoko Terai - Elusive Beauty III New works by contemporary Japanese ceramic artist Yoko Terai, noted for her highly original forms, graceful lines, subtle hues and feminine sensitivity.
	Aug. 3 - 31, 2007 Tadashi Ito - Quintessence America debut solo exhibition for Tadashi Ito, an innovative ceramic artist based in Iwate Prefecture in northern Japan. Ito is noted for his elegant, sophisticated contemporary forms inspired by nature as well as ancient Japanese Jomon pottery.
	June 29 - July 28, 2007 Yoshitaka Hasu - Contemporary Iga ceramic American debut solo exhibition for one of the most distinctive ceramic artists from the historic Japanese pottery center of Iga. This exhibition highlights the bold forms and dramatic firing that epitomize Yoshitaka Hasu's unique style.
	June 1 - 27, 2007 Hiromi Okumura - Metaphor Okumura gained world-wide recognition with his work in a traveling exhibition entitled "Japanese Pottery: The Rising Generation from Traditional Japanese Kilns". This retrospective exhibition shows a range of work by the artist from 1996 through 2007.
	April, 2007 Hiroyuki Wakimoto - Contemporary Bizen Ceramic One of the most influential contemporary ceramic artists from Bizen Japan, Hiroyuki Wakimoto sets a new direction with extraordinary forms inspired by ancient Japanese and Chinese pottery.
	November 24 - December 30, 2006 John Guernsey - Finding Mu An extraordinary body of candid and expressive oil-on-paper paintings that embodies the artist's artistic and spiritual journey.
	September 1 - 27, 2006 Keiichi Shimizu - New Vision in Tanba Pottery One of the most distinctive ceramic artists continues his courageous exploration of ideas and forms to take the millennium-old Tanba pottery tradition to new levels.
	June 30 - August 2, 2006 Tadashi Nishihata - Living Tradition Touching Stone Gallery invited Tadashi Nishihata to exhibit in the International Folk Art Market (sponsored by the New Mexico Museum of International Folk Art in Santa Fe) and to present a solo show of his latest work in our gallery.
	March 10 - April 29, 2006 Kiyoharu Ichino - Flame of Tradition Timeless masterpieces bringing together centuries old Tanba pottery tradition and contemporary forms in this show, which also features Ichino's new works with the newly re-discovered akadobe-yu finish.
	December, 2005 Yoko Terai - Elusive Beauty II A new body of work that exemplifies the exquisite grace and sensitivity of one of the most exciting contemporary woman ceramic artists in Japan.
	September, 2005 Hiroyuki Wakimoto - Witness in Time An extraordinary body of work that evokes images of mythical beings, silent witnesses of untold happenings and forgotten legends. This show has the power to transport the viewers across vast space and time, to a primordial world where human needs were the same, and there were little distinctions between the Jomon and Anasazi worlds.
	August 5 - 31, 2005 Tadashi Mori - Enku Unlike many other Japanese ceramists, Mori Tadashi never repeats a form. Every show is a surprise. Following his spectacular 2004 America debut at Touching Stone Gallery, Mori launches another tour de force project Enku, his tribute to a 17th-century Zen monk who created 120,000 wood-carvings of the Buddha all over Japan.
	July 1 - August 3, 2005 Hiromi Okumura - Space in Between Solo exhibition of an extraordinary body of work along the line of the Sodeisha School, focusing on self-expression of ideas using clay as a medium.
	March 4 - April 6, 2005 Tim Wong & Akiko Hirano - Touching Stone: A Journey of the Mind An imaginary journey in the mind of a Japanese calligrapher who, while grinding ink on an inkstone, travels from a Japanese Zen temple to an ancient land of the Anasazi. The story unfolds in a series of black-and-white photographs accompanied by calligraphy pieces based on Japanese and Chinese poems as well as original prose.
	December, 2004 Yoko Terai - Elusive Beauty American debut for one of Japan's most exciting contemporary woman ceramic artists. Yoko Terai's work embodies beauty and grace with an unmistakably feminine sensitivity.
	September 3 - October 6, 2004 Tadashi Mori - Abstracted Passion! An extraordinary collection of tea bowls and incense burners by one the Japanese artists on whom Peter Voulkos (1924-2002) wrote, "Their commitment is very ambitious and risk taking generates an excitement that at once transcends the boundaries that have constrained the development of new ideas and possibilities that ceramics can afford."
	July, 2004 Hiroyuki Wakimoto - Legacy Hiroyuki Wakimoto merged Bizen pottery traditions with contemporary visions in this solo show, as he traveled to Santa Fe as an invited artist of the First International Folk Art Market organized by the New Mexico Museum of International Folk Arts.
	June, 2004 Keiichi Shimizu - Crossing the Line An extraordinary body of work showing the distinctive minimalist style of Keiichi Shimizu, one of the most innovative contemporary ceramic artists from the historic pottery center of Tanba.
	March 13 - April 28, 2004 Tadashi Nishihata - Spirit of the Mountain In his first major solo exhibition in America, Tanba master Tadashi Nishihata created a spectacular series of platters specifically for this show. The 'Spirit of the Mountain' platters are designed to be hung on the wall like paintings. They vividly capture the beauty of the changing seasons in the old pottery center of Tanba.
	December, 2003 Hiroki Murata - Tranquil Light In his America debut exhibition, Hiroki Murata Murata combines traditional Nihon-ga (Japanese painting), wood-block print, and sumi-e techniques to create a unique evocative style that conveys a magical quality of light.
	September, 2003 Hiroyuki Wakimoto - Myth & Legacy Hiroyuki Wakimoto continued his bold exploration of forms based on centuries-old traditions and techniques of Bizen pottery. This exhibition introduced Wakimoto's composite forms, which had since become one of his most recognized signature works.
	June 13 - August 31, 2003 Japanese Teabowl Masterworks Shukai Kagami, Yuho Kaneshige, Tadashi Nishihata, Kazu Yamada, w/ special guest Shozo Sato A stunning collection of best works by four top Japanese tea bowl masters. In the opening weekend (June 14, 15), Touching Stone Gallery co-sponsors two special events performed by tea master Shozo Sato, in collaboration with the New Mexico Museum of International Folk Art. These include a tea ceremony demonstration entitled 'Tea Ceremony: Tranquility in Action' and a lecture entitled 'For the Senses: Ceramics for the Tea Ceremony'.
	May, 2003 Fumiko Kurokawa - Black in Full Bloom This exhibition showcases Kurokawa's free and lively style of traditional sumi-e on one of her favorite subjects - plants and flowers that grow around her studio in the mountainous town of Nose, Japan.
	August, 2002 Reiko Kakiuchi-Cohen - Keeper of the Flame Spectacular wood-fired ceramic by Reiko Kakiuchi-Cohen, an Echizen artist with connection to New Mexico. Her work is a testimony of the love, courage and determination of this remarkable artist
	July, 2002 Hiroyuki Wakimoto - Omen An exhibition of extraordinary work by contemporary ceramist Hiroyuki Wakimoto. This is Wakimoto's American debut which brought the unique style of this Bizen artist to world-wide recognition. An article on this event was published in Ceramics: Art & Perception, vol.48, 2002.
	July 2002 Wang Nong - Between Heaven & Earth One of the great Chinese sumi-e painters of his generation, Wang Nong captures austere beauty with extraordinary power, passion and sensitivity. With over a hundred exhibitions to his credit, this is his first exhibition in the US.
	June 2002 Moriyuki Ando - Mino Pottery Show Moriyuki Ando has made significant contributions to contemporary ceramic art in the Mino tradition. In addition to creating new forms, Ando developed three distinctive award-winning finishes on ceramic, each with unique characteristics of color and texture. The current exhibition showcases outstanding examples of each of his signature styles.
	March 2002 Kiyoharu Ichino - Edge of Purple Powerful works by Kiyoharu Ichino, a ceramic artist from the historic pottery center of Tanba, who creates innovative forms with centuries old wood-firing techniques to achieve stunning masterpieces that are at once contemporary and ancient.

Home	Current show	Photography/Calligraphy	Show archives	Gallery tour

Japanese pottery	Tea bowls	Sumi-e	Wabi sabi