Kazuo Yamaji
(Full Member of Japan Traditional Craft Committee, Member of Ibaraki Craft Committee,
Factory at 2192-33,Kasama,KasamaCity, Ibaraki, Japan )
Personal History
- 1949
- Born in Kanda, Tokyo, Japan
- 1968
- Moved to Montreal, Canada and Started Production of Folk Potteries
- 1973
- Set Up Folk Pottery Factory in Kasama, Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan
- 1996
- Taught Folk Pottery Technique and Theory in Columbus Art University, USA
- .
- Visited France as a Member of Japan Foundation Folk Pottery Delegation
- 1998
- Elected as Full Member of Japan Traditional Craft Committee
Selected and Awarded
Craft New Work Exhibition (Selected 21Times)
Japan Traditional Craft Exhibition (Selected 21Times)
Kanto Folk Pottery Exhibition, “Special Award”
Ibaraki Prefecture Arts Festival, “Hazan Itaya Award”
Japan Folk Pottery Exhibition, “Ministry of Education Award” (Selected 10 Times)
Japan Traditional Craft Committee, Folk Pottery Division, “Committee Member’s Award”
World Ceramic Biennare in Kyongi-Do, South Korea, “Special Award” (Selected Twice)
Kikuchi Biennare (Selected Twice)
Choza Prize Tokoname Folk Pottery Exhibition (Selected Twice)
Hagi Taisho Exhibition, Contemporary Folk Pottery “Honorable Award”
West Japan Folk Pottery Arts Exhibition
Part 1 West Japan Folk Pottery Prize Part, “Governor of Miyazaki Prefecture Award”
Part 2 Beauty of Common Utility, Practical Ceramic Part, “Excellence Award”
Museums Collected
Hyogo Folk Pottery Museum
Ibaraki Prefecture Folk Pottery Museum
World Ceramic Exhibition Foundation in South Korea
Public Works
Clock Tower in Ibaraki Prefecture Art Forest Park
Pottery Wall in Ibaraki Prefecture Hitachi Omiya High School
Pottery Wall in East Japan Railway Tomobe Station Building
Paper Snipping Pattern
Snipping paper is called “Jian Zhi”(剪紙) in China. Utilizing this Jian Zhi technique, persimmon tannin impregnated paper is snipped with pattern. This patterned paper is put on pottery surface and clay is put on the pattern. After dried, paper is taken off and patterned pottery is fired. I invented this unique technique. I hope you will enjoy this Jian Zhi technique, which produces very fine patterns coming out from the surface of potteries.