Artist Shoko Teruyama - Represented by Sara McDonnell, Art Makers
Artist Shoko Teruyama - Represented by Sara McDonnell, Art Makers

Shoko Teruyama

Shoko Teruyama

Growing up in Japan, I remember tradition being part of daily life. Temples and shrines were everywhere, even inside our home. I was drawn to these sacred spaces and ceremonial objects because they were decorated with texture and pattern contrasted by areas of calm and stillness.

These memories inspire my current work. I make boxes, intimate bowls, and small plates for precious objects, vases for flower arranging and a variety of serving pieces. Many of the forms allude to function and would serve food well, but are more comfortable being placed in sacred spaces of the home like the center of a formal dining room table, a hope chest, or a bedside stand.

The making begins with bisque molds, slab construction, and coil building to make thick, heavy forms. I carve, shave, and sand excess clay away to slowly reveal the final shape. Puff handles and other elements are added for physical decoration. White slip is brushed over the red earthenware to create depth and motion. Then I carve back through the slip exposing the red clay. Shiny translucent glazes are applied over the decorated areas and opaque matte glazes over the calm areas.

Ornamentation is important to my ideas. I have created motifs called vine patterns to lead your eye around the work. Patterns run continuously to create narrow borders or to fill large amounts of space. They can flow into tight curves just as easily as they can bend around the belly of a form. The patterns create visual movement representing water, wind, and clouds.

I create characters based on human relations and things I have experienced. To me it is much easier to draw owls than humans. I don't want to tell specific stories to people, I want people to create their own. Sometimes you feel like the weight of a turtle standing on top of you and sometimes you feel like an owl standing on top of the world. Some of my characters have a dark nature. I think that is life. Sometimes dark things happen. Overall, I want my work to have a sense of hope and a sense of humor because life goes on.

If you are interested in learning more or purchasing a piece of Shoko Teruyama’s artwork, please contact Sara McDonnell at Art Makers, artmakers.com/contact.

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Exhibitions

2014

PENLAND SCHOOL OF CRAFTS “Focus Gallery,” Penland, NC (solo show)

AKAR “Shoko Teruyama and Matt Kelleher Recent Work,” Iowa City, IA

CROIX POTTERY TOUR “22nd Annual,” Minneapolis, MN

BALTIMORE CLAYWORKS “Indelible,” Baltimore, MD

THE COLLEGE AT BROCKPORT “Embracing Function,” Brockport, NY

PETERS VALLY “Considering the Kylix,” Layton, NJ

NCECA “Archie Bray Foundation,” Milwaukee, WI

NCECA “Taming Nature,” curated by Paul Donnelly, Milwaukee, WI

NCECA “Santa Fe Clay’s La Mesa,” Milwaukee, WI

COLLEGE OF LAKE COUNTY “Embellished Surface,” Grayslake, IL

COLLEGE OF LAKE COUNTY “Cups II,” Grayslake, IL

ARCHIE BRAY FOUNDATION “Silent Auction,” Helena, MT

LSU “8 Fluid Ounces,” Baton Rouge, LA

AKAR “Yunomi,” Iowa City, IA

 

2013

ARCHIE BRAY FOUNDATION “Visiting Artist Exhibition,” Helena, MT

CLAY STUDIO “Recent Work in the Bonovitz Space Gallery,” Philadelphia, PA

CROIX POTTERY TOUR “21st Annual,” Minneapolis, MN

AKAR “Yunomi,” Iowa City, IA

GREENHILL CENTER FOR ART “Wintershow,” Greensboro, NC

 

2012

TURCHIN CENTER FOR ART “NC Artist Fellowship Award Exhibition,” Boone NC

AKAR “Shoko Teruyama and Matt Kelleher,” Iowa City, IA

CRIMSON LAUREL GALLERY “Story by Hand,” Bakersville, NC

BALTIMORE CLAYWORKS “The World is your Oyster,” Baltimore, MD

WAYNE ARTS CENTER “Functional Ceramics,” Wooster, OH

OHIO CRAFT MUSEUM “Pots with a Purpose,” Columbus, OH

COLLEGE OF LAKE COUNTY “The Cup,” Grayslake, IL

AKAR GALLERY “Inspiration: Birds,” Iowa City, IA

CAMERON ART MUSEUM “Penland School: Evolution and Imagination,” Wilmington, NC

DESIGN CENTER “NCECA 2012: To Wander Out of Place, Seattle, WA

SANTA FE CLAY “La Mesa 2012,” Seattle, WA

APPALACHIAN CENTER FOR CRAFT “Workshop Faculty Exhibition,” Smithville, TN

PETERS VALLEY CRAFT CENTER “Faculty Exhibition,” Layton, NJ

PENLAND SCHOOL OF CRAFTS “27TH Annual Benefit Auction,” Penland, NC

MINT MUSEUM OF CRAFT AND DESIGN “Potters Market Invitational,” Charlotte, NC

CRAFT ALLIANCE “Hot Tea,” St. Louis, MO

CROIX POTTERY TOUR “20th Annual,” Minneapolis, MN

AKAR “Yunomi,” Iowa City, IA

PENLAND GALLERY “Artist’s Plates,” Penland, NC

FERRIN GALLERY “Covet,” Pittsfield, MA

 

2011

BLUE SPIRAL 1, “Clay as Canvas,” Asheville, NC

CASPER COLLEGE “Together,” Casper, WY

RED STAR STUDIOS “Holiday Sale,” Kansas City, MO

NORTHERN CLAY CENTER “Holiday Exhibition,” Minneapolis, MN

RED LODGE CLAY CENETR “Artist of the Month,” Red Lodge, MT

LILLSTREET ART CENTER “Naughty and Nice,” Chicago, IL

EDWARDSVILLE ART CENTER, “Harvest,” Edwardsville, IL

CRIMSON LAUREL GALLERY, “Interpreting the Cup,” Bakersville, NC

CLAY STUDIO “Cups and Coffee,” Philadelphia, PA

PATINA GALLERY “Penland Auction,” Santa Fe, NM

18 HANDS GALLERY “Penland Show,” Houston, TX

AKAR “Dessert Plate,” Iowa, City IA

SIGNATURE SHOP “Shoko Teruyama and Matt Kelleher,” Atlanta, GA

CLAY ART CENTER “Where We Agree: Shoko Teruyama and Matt Kelleher,” Port Chester, NY

BUNNELL STREET ART CENTER “The Language of American Pottery,” Homer, AK

CROIX POTTERY TOUR “19th Annual,” Minneapolis, MN

ODYSSEY GALLERY “Instructor Show,” Asheville, NC

SANTA FE CLAY “La Mesa,” Tampa, FL

AKAR “Yunomi,” Iowa City, IA

 

2010

BLUE SPIRAL 1 “Recent Work,” Asheville, NC     (Solo Show)

AKAR “Recent Work,” Iowa City, IA     (Solo Show)

PENLAND GALLERY “All This Happened, More or Less,” Penland, NC

FERRIN GALLERY “NCECA 2010,” Philadelphia, PA

COLLEGE OF WILLIAM AND MARY “Workshop Presenters,” Williamsburg, VA

CROIX POTTERY TOUR “18th Annual,” Minneapolis, MN

BALTIMORE CLAYWORKS “Encore,” Baltimore, MD

GREENWICH HOUSE POTTERY “Made in Clay 2010,” New York, NY

NORTHERN CLAY CENTER “American Pottery Festival 2010,” Minneapolis, MN

BLUE SPIRAL 1 “Cup Show,” Asheville, NC

AKAR “Yunomi 2010,” Iowa City, IA

SANTA FE CLAY “La Mesa,” NCECA Philadelphia, PA

THE ART CENTER “Contemporary Clay 2010 Biennial,” Grand Junction, CO

LSU SCHOOL OF ART “8 Fluid Ounces,” Baton Rouge, LA

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