Touching Stone Gallery Exhibitions 2010

Celebrating our 11th year in Santa Fe, Touching Stone Gallery has scheduled a series of exhibitions to showcase six exciting artists whose works have taken traditions to bold new levels. Join us in our gallery to view their new work, or enjoy the shows online by clicking on the images after the opening dates!

Click here to see 2009 exhibitions; Click here to see 2008 exhibitions

April 2 - May 5, 2010

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 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.

Hiroyuki Wakimoto

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.

Wang Nong 

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.

Yukiya Izumita

Last year, 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.

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.

Ryo Mikami

Touching Stone Gallery is honored to host the first exhibition in the US of work by ceramist Ryo Mikami from Kanagawa, Japan. This exhibition will showcase an extraordinary body of conceptual work consisting of masks, each inspired by a Japanese kanji character for a human emotion. Do not miss this innovative and powerful show!