Yoko Terai
Elusive Beauty II
Nov. 25 - Dec. 30, 2005 |
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Yoko Terai 寺井陽子
Touching Stone Gallery is proud to host another exhibition
of work of ceramic artist Yoko Terai, noted for her
graceful, sensitive, and highly original forms that have
gained critical acclaim in Japan.
Yoko Terai (b. 1972), one of the brightest talents among
young contemporary Japanese ceramic artists, received her
fine art degree from the Department of Ceramic of the Kyoto
City University of Arts, where renowned ceramic artist Osamu
Suzuki once taught. Inspired by Suzuki's ground-breaking
work, Terai devoted herself to finding her personal style.
Her graduation work received the Mayor of Kyoto Prize, an
honor claimed by few artists of her age. After graduating in
1995, Terai sought apprenticeship under ceramist Nobuo
Nojima in Uji City. Her mentor quickly recognized her
talents and potential, and encouraged the young artist to
pursue an independent career as a full-time artist.
Terai is fascinated by seeing beauty in things ordinary, a
gift she inherited from her artist mother and architect
father. She also has an uncommon ability to capture such
beauty with grace and sensitivity, and allow her audience to
share her vision. She approaches ceramic from an artist’s
angle, using clay as a means to turn her aesthetic visions
into forms. Her approach is thus quite different from many
other Japanese ceramists who build careers along traditional
pottery styles. Not having to conform to traditions gives
Terai complete freedom to explore and create her uniquely
personal style.
Terai rarely uses the potter’s wheel (another departure from
traditions). Instead, she starts with drawings of conceptual
designs, and builds most of her pieces by hands.
Functionality seems incidental in her work. When she is
satisfied with the general designs, she just set her hands
free to mold the curves and surfaces into their final forms
as if guided by instinct. The resulting pieces are defined
by graceful curves that seem to flow delicately between
positive and negative spaces, revealing the essence of the
forms as one’s eyes follow the lines. The flowing forms are
barely covered by shades of pale monochromatic tones,
achieved by applying a thin glaze made from titanium oxide
crystals. Overall, the gentle delicate forms, smooth texture
and airy hues evoke a noble, unmistakably feminine, sensuous
feel.
When installing an exhibition, Yoko Terai pays great
attention to the spatial relationship between the individual
showpieces and surrounding space. Since 1997, Terai has
exhibited extensively in Japan, receiving many awards. Her
work was first shown in America at Touching Stone Gallery in
2004. The current show includes three dozen new pieces that
exemplify the exquisite grace and sensitivity of this gifted
artist.
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selected pieces |
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Elusive Beauty
ceramic form #5
19.5" x 12.5" x 8.5"H (2 views)
Sold
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Elusive Beauty
ceramic form #2
14"H x 10" x 9" (2 views)
Sold
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Elusive Beauty
ceramic form #1
26"L x 4.5" x 1.5" (2 views)
Sold
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Elusive Beauty
ceramic form #3
25"L x 4.5" x 2" (2 views)
Sold
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Elusive Beauty
ceramic form #4
26"L x 4" x 2" (2 views)
Sold
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Elusive Beauty ceramic form #16
11" x 3.5" x 1.5"H
Sold
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Elusive Beauty ceramic form #19
11" x 3.5" x 1.5"H
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Elusive Beauty ceramic form #9
8"H" x 4.5" x 4"
Sold
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Elusive Beauty ceramic form #10
9"H" x 2.5" x 2.5"
Sold
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Elusive Beauty ceramic form #11
15"H" x 5" x 4.5"
Sold
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Elusive Beauty ceramic form #12
17"H" x 4" x 3.5"
Sold
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Elusive Beauty ceramic form #13
11" x 9" x 6.5"H (2 views)
Sold
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Elusive Beauty ceramic form #15
9.5"H" x 5.5" x 4.5" (2 views)
Sold
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Elusive Beauty ceramic form #14
12"H x 6" x 4" (2 views)
Sold
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Elusive Beauty ceramic form #8
7.5" x 6" x 5.5"H (2 views)
Sold
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Elusive Beauty
ceramic form #6
19"L" x 6.5" x 3.5" (2 views)
Sold
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Elusive Beauty ceramic form #22
15"L x 5.5" x 3.5" (2 views)
Sold
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Elusive Beauty ceramic form #21
13.5"L x 4.5" x 2.5" (2 views)
Sold
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Elusive Beauty ceramic form #7
7.5"L x 5.5" x 3" (2 views)
Sold
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Elusive Beauty ceramic form #38
4.5"H x 2.75" x 2.5" (2 views)
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Elusive Beauty ceramic forms #17 & #18
9"L x 3" x 2.5"; 7"L x 3" x 1.5"
Both Sold
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Elusive Beauty ceramic form #20 (2-pc set)
7.5"L x 3" x 1", 5.5"L x 2" x 1"
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Elusive Beauty
ceramic form #23
5"H x 5.5" x 3.5"
Sold
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Elusive Beauty
ceramic form #28
4"H x 6" x 3.5"
Sold
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Ceramic water droppers
#24, #25, #26, #27
1.5" - 2.5"H
All Sold
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Hanging
Vase Forms #30, #31
Both Sold
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Hanging Vase
Form #32
Sold
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Hanging
Vase Form #34
Sold
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Hanging Vase
Form #35
Sold
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Hanging Vase Form #36
Sold
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Hanging Vase Form #37
Sold
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Chronology & Exhibitions
1972 Born in Hyogo Prefecture, Japan
1995 Graduated from the Department of Ceramic, Kyoto City
University of Arts, Kyoto, Japan
1997 Solo show, Gallery Beni, Kyoto, Japan
1998 Group show, Gallery Nishikawa, Kyoto, Japan
1999 Solo show, Tor Gallery, Kobe, Japan
Group show, Kintetsu Department store, Osaka, Japan
Group show, Gallery Mitsuhashi, Kyoto, Japan
2000 Solo show, Gallery Utsuwa-kan, Kyoto, Japan
Group show, Gallery Hanjun Plaza, Soel, Korea
2001 Solo show, Tor Gallery, Kobe, Japan
Solo show, Hankyu Department Store, Kobe, Japan
2002 Solo show, Gallery Ceramika, Tokyo/Sapporo, Japan
Solo show, Gallery Utsuwa-kan, Kyoto, Japan
Solo show, Gallery Yamaki Bijutsu, Osaka, Japan
2003 Group show, Meitetsu Department Store, Nagoya, Japan
Group show, Gion Konishi, Kyoto, Japan
Solo show, Hankyu Department Store, Osaka, Japan
Group show, Gallery Hanare, Hyogo, Japan
2004 Solo show, Gallery Utsuwa-kan, Kyoto, Japan
Solo show, Gallery Kukansha Shirako, Tokyo, Japan
Solo show, Gallery Yamaki Bijutsu, Osaka, Japan
Solo show, Touching Stone Gallery, Santa Fe, New
Mexico, USA
2005 Solo show, Savoir Vivre, Tokyo, Japan
Solo show, Touching Stone Gallery, Santa Fe, New
Mexico, USA
Awards
1994 Selected for the Second Men-Bachi Grand Prize
1995 Mayor of Kyoto Prize
Excellence Award, the Second Hana-no Sumika Grand
Prize
1996 Selected for the Seventh Itami Craft Exhibition
1997 Selected for the Fourth Kyoto Craft Exhibition
1998 Selected for the 1998 International Craft Exhibition,
Itami
Miura Prize, the Fourth Sake Cup Exhibition
1999 Selected for the 1999 Craft National, Sapporo
2001 Selected for the 19th Asahi Modern Craft Exhibition
Selected for the 2001 World Craft Competition,
Kanazawa
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