Takuro Shibata
Takuro Shibata
Takuro Shibata is a ceramic artist originally from Japan, and currently lives in Seagrove, North Carolina which is the biggest pottery community in the U.S.. He holds a Bachelor of Engineering in Applied Chemistry from Doshisha University, Kyoto, Japan. After graduation, he became an apprentice of a potter in Shigaraki which is one of the oldest pottery villages in Japan. He learnt not only pottery making skills but also ceramic materials, Shigaraki industry and its history through his jobs.
Takuro and his wife, Hitomi first visited the U.S. in 2001, and he had opportunities to join some ceramic residency programs. They came to North Carolina at the time Takuro accepted a position as the director of STARworks Ceramics in 2005. Since then, he started researching local clays, and set up a local clay making project at STARworks. Now his clay team is manufacturing very unique clays at STARworks, providing clays to potters, schools and art organizations, and their clay has become very popular. He also set up STARworks Clay Studio and runs the artist-in-residence program.
Takuro and Hitomi set up their own pottery studio and built wood kilns at home. He actively joins exhibitions and events, and often gets invited to give lectures, demonstrations and workshops. He has developed a national reputation both as a ceramic artist and as a clay specialist. His work and clay stories were featured in the media, publications and conferences nationally and internationally. He is a member of the International Academy of Ceramics.
Since 2005 - Present Director of STARworks Ceramics, Star, NC
Professional Background
2019 International Academy of Ceramics (IAC) Member
2009 Built Anagama plus salt chamber wood kiln next to the studio in Seagrove, NC
2008 Set up pottery studio in Seagrove, NC
Since 2005 - Present Director of STARworks Ceramics, Star, NC
2004 - 2005 Ceramic Studio Technical Instructor, Shigaraki Ceramic Cultural Park, Japan
2003 Artist in Residence, Cub Creek Foundation for the Ceramics Arts, Appomattox, VA
2002 Artist in Residence, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, New Bedford, MA
2002 Artist in Residence, Peters Valley School of Crafts, Layton, NJ
2001 Work Exchange Artist, Worcester Center for Crafts, Worcester, MA
2000 - 2001 Research and production Assistant, Yuto Glaze Company, Shigaraki, Japan
1999 - 2001 Studio Potter, Shigaraki, Japan
1996 - 2000 Apprenticeship and Production Potter, Tanikan-Gama Pottery Company, Shigaraki, Japan
Academic Degree
1992 - 1996 Bachelor of Engineering, Applied Chemistry, Doshisha University, Kyoto, Japan
Membership
2019-Present A member of International Academy of Ceramics (IAC)
2019-2020 North Carolina Potters Conference, Committee, Seagrove, North Carolina, USA
2017-Present NCECA Member, USA
2015-Present North Carolina Wood Fire Conference, Main Committee, Star, North Carolina, USA
2008-Present Seagrove Area Potters Association (SAPA) Member, Seagrove, North Carolina, USA
Workshop and Lecture
2021 The Three Potters Symposium, THE BASCOM - Highlands, NC
2021 Functional Ceramics Workshop, Ohio Designer Craftsmen, Columbus, Ohio
2020 Shigaraki Ceramic Cultural Park, Shigaraki Japan, Lecture and Panel Discussion
2019 Penland School of Crafts, Penland, NC / Co-Workshop with Hitomi Shibata
2019 The Art League, Alexandria, VA / Co-Workshop with Hitomi Shibata
2019 Carolina Clay Guild, Greensboro, NC/ Co-lecture with Hitomi Shibata
2018 James Madison University, Co-Workshop with Hitomi Shibata, Virginia, USA
2018 NCECA /Co-Lecture with Steven Blnakenbeker “Wild Clay Yesterday and Tomorrow” Pennsylvania USA
2017 NC State University Craft Center/ Slide Presentation and Demonstration
2017 Art Alliance in Greensboro, NC / Workshop and slide presentation
2017 District Clay Center, Washington DC/ Slide presentation
2017 Peter’s Valley School of Crafts, Layton, NJ / Wood Fire Workshop and Slide Presentation
2017 NC Wood Fire Conference, Star, NC / Presenter in Panel discussion
2017 NC Wood Fire Pre-Conference, Seagrove, NC / Woodfiring Workshop
2016 NC Clayworks Pottery Guild, Chapell Hill, NC / Slide Presentation
2016 Clay Club, Bakersville, NC / Slide Presentation
2015 NC Pottery Collector’s Guild, Raleigh, NC / Slide Presentation
2015 Pre-North Carolina Potter’s Conference, Star, NC / Slide Presentation
2015 University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, NC / Slide Presentation
2010 Frank Gallery, Chapel Hill, NC
2010 Carolina Clay Guild, Greensboro, NC
2009 Clayworks guild, Chapel Hill, NC
2008 Penland School of Craft, Penland, NC
2007 East Carolina University, Greenville, NC
2006 Cornell University, Ithaca, NY
2003 Longwood University, Farmville, VA
2003 University of Richmond, Richmond, VA
2003 Longwood Center for the Visual Arts, Farmville, VA
2003 Cub Creek Foundation for the Ceramic Arts, Appomattox, VA
2002 Longwood University, Farmville, VA Exhibition Record
Award/ Selected Exhibition
2021 The Daisy Wade Bridges Award “Potters Market at the Mint Museum, Charlotte, NC
2019 Received the First Place Award “Art of Clay National juried Exhibition” Juried by Doug Fitch, North Carolina Pottery Center, North Carolina, USA
2018 Juried Exhibition, “The Clay Studio National”, Juried by Beth Ann Gerstein, Executive Director of the American Museum of Ceramic Art, The Clay Studio, Pennsylvania, USA
2018 Juried Exhibition, “Small Favors”, The Clay Studio, Pennsylvania, USA
2017 The Cup Show: The Hudgens 2nd National Juried & Invitational Cup Exhibition, Georgia, USA
2016 Juried Exhibition, the 24th, Strictly Functional Pottery National, Pennsylvania, USA
2000 Asahi Contemporary Crafts Awards, Osaka, Japan
1999 Shigaraki Ceramic Award, Shigaraki, Shiga Japan
Judge, Juried, Curated the Exhibition
2019 Juried Exhibition “Table Top Exhibition” The Art League, Alexandria, VA
Publication
2020 “Then and Now” by Barbara Wiedemann, Published by North Carolina Pottery Center, NC, USA
2018 “Co-Lecture: Wild Clays Yesterday Tomorrow”, by Steven Blankenbeker, Takuro Shibata, NCECA Journal Volume 39, Colorado, USA
2017 “Controlled Burn” by Barbara Wiedemann, Published by North Carolina Pottery Center, NC, USA (See attachment)
2017 “Working Potters” Ceramics Monthly, Jun-August Issue. Ohio, USA (See attachment PDF)
2003 “Cub Creek Workshop at Longwood University with Takuro and Hitomi Shibata” by Randy Edmonson, Studio Potter Network, USA
Exhibitions
2021 “47th Annual Pottery Show”, The Art School at Old Church in Demarest, NJ
2021 “Pottery on the Hill” Hill Center, Washington DC
2021 “Fluid Expression” Red Lodge Clay Center, Red Lodge, MO
2021 “Annual Pottery Invitational” Worcester Center for Craft, Worcester, MA
2021 “Functional Ceramics Exhibition” Ohio Craft Museum, Columbus Ohio
2020 “46th Annual Pottery Show”, The Art School at Old Church in Demarest, NJ, Online
2020 “Americano” Clay Akar, Iowa City, IA
2020 “Pottery on the Hill” Hill Center, Washington DC
2020 “Spruce Pine Pottery Show” Spruce Pine, NC, Online
2020 “CubCreek: Twenty years together” The Branch Museum of Architecture & Design, Richmond, VA
2019 “Then and Now, Woodfire pottery Exhibition” NC Pottery Center, Seagrove, NC
2019 “Pottery On the Hill Fredericksburg” LibertyTown Arts, Fredericksburg, VA
2019 “The 13th Yunomi Invitational” Clay Akar, Iowa City, IA
2019 “45th Annual Pottery Show”, The Art School at Old Church in Demarest, NJ
2019 “Pottery on the Hill” Hill Center, Washington DC
2019 “Sake Vessel Exhibition” The Stratford Gallery, Stratford on Avon, Warwickshire, UK
2019 “CubCreek Show” Hood Collage, Whitaker Gallery, Frederick, MD
2019 “Madison County Potters Market”, Marshall, NC
2019 “Everyday Ordinary: Art of the People is an exhibition held at the National Council on Education in the Ceramic Arts Conference (NCECA) in Minneapolis, MN, organized by The Clay Studio.
2019 “Functional Ceramics 2019” Wayne Center for the Arts, Wooster, OH
2019 “Evolution: Seagrove Pottery” February 1 – April 14, 2019. GreenHill Gallery, Greensboro, NC
2018 “44th Annual Pottery Show”, The Art School at Old Church in Demarest, New Jersey, USA
2018 “Wild Collaborations” The Clay Studio, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
2018 “Intercultural Connection” NCECA Exhibition, Pennsylvania, USA
2018 “Exquisite Form” Charlie Cummings Gallery, Florida, USA
2017 “Spectra: A Survey of American Contemporary Wood Fired Ceramics” Morean Center for Clay, St. Petersburg, FL
2017 “Winter Show”, Green Hill Center for NC Arts, Greensboro, NC
2017 “Cub Creek Residents and Friends”, Academy Center for the Arts, Lynchburg, VA
2017 “Controlled Burn”, Randolph Arts Guild Gallery, Asheboro, NC
2017 “Making Matters”, Peter’s Valley School of Crafts Gallery, Layton, NJ
2017 “Wild clay :The Story of NC Clay”, Star, NC
2017 “Confluence”, NC Wood Fire Conference, Star, NC
2017 “Shaping a New South”, the Hudgens Art Center in Duluth, GA
2017 “New Times Three”, Blue Spiral1, Asheville, NC
2016 “Studio Touya”, Ackland Museum Store, Chapel Hill, NC
2016 “WoodFired Ceramics” Smith House galleries, Harrisonburg, VA
2016 “EARTH, PAINTING AND FIRE”, Round About Art Collective, Raleigh, NC
2016 “Cub Creek Foundation: John Jessiman With Visiting & Resident Artists”, Lillstreet Art Center, Chicago, IL
2016 “John Jessiman—A Life in Clay”, Atrium Gallery, Ball State University, Muncie, IN
2015 “Wild clay :The Story of NC Clay”, North Carolina Pottery Center, Seagrove, NC
2015 “The 5th for the CCRI invitational”, Warwick Museum of Art, Providence, RI
2015 “Quiet Inspiration, Japanese Influence on North Carolina Potters”
,North Carolina Pottery Center, Seagrove, NC
2014 “Ceramicists of Seagrove, NC” East Tennessee State University, TN
2013 Tea Time: Series 2, North Carolina Pottery Center, Seagrove, NC
2013 Connection,Meredith College, Raleigh, NC
2012 Next Generation of Seagrove Potters, Moore Arts Council, Southern Pines, NC
2012 Cub Creek Show, The Academy of Fine Arts, Lynchburg, VA
2012 STARworks Ceramics Show, Randolph Arts Guild, Asheboro NC
2011 Winter Exhibition: Hard and Soft, Japan Center, NCSU, Raleigh, NC
2010 Cub Creek Show, Coe College, Ceder Rapids, Iowa
2010 Clay and Blogs, Telling a Story, Moore Arts Council, Southern Pines, NC
2010 DIRECTion Native Clay, Meredith College, Raleigh NC
2010 Studio Touya Show, Cape Fear Studios, Fayetteville, NC
2010 New Generation of Seagrove Potters, North Carolina Pottery Center, Seagrove, NC
2009 Asian Ceramics Trunk Show, Freer Gallery/Sackler Museum, Washington DC
2009 Birth of a Notion†Quirk Gallery, Richmond VA
2007 Three Japanese Wood-Firers, Harlequin Gallery, London, UK
2006 Mixed Teabowls Exhibition, Harlequin Gallery, London, UK
2005 Teabowls &Yunomis, Harlequin Gallery, London, UK
2004 Teabowls &Yunomis, Harlequin Gallery, London, UK
2002 Anagama Fired, Harlequin Gallery, London, UK
2001 Foot, Gallery Gloss & Coffee, Okayama, Japan
2000 Pots in Autumn, Gallery Toumu, Shigaraki, Shiga, Japan
2000 Asahi Contemporary Crafts Awards, Osaka, Japan
1999 UTAGE, Tanikan-gama Gallery, Shigaraki, Shiga Japan
1999 Wave&Wave, Dento-sangyou-kaikan Gallery, Shigaraki, Shiga Japan
1999 Shigaraki Ceramic Award, Shigaraki, Shiga Japan
1999 Group Exhibition, Gallery Kyouei-gama, Tokoname, Japan
1998 Group Exhibition, Tanikan-gama Gallery, Shigaraki, Shiga, Japan
Public Collection
2003 Richmond University, Richmond, VA, USA
2003 Longwood Center for the Visual Arts, Farmville, VA, USA