Koichi Uwataki

Style

Nunozome Saiji
Floral and geometric patterns standing out on a white ceramic surface. Beautiful coloring and soft light and shade give a depth to the work, which gently wraps itself around the viewer.
I am working on nunozome saiji by applying my distinctive coloration and designs. Nunozome is a technique to decorate the base body using fabric. Normally in underglaze decoration patterns are depicted by painting colors or drawing outlines with a brush or the like, whereas in nunozome, firstly individual flower petals, leaves, or other shapes are drawn on nonwoven fabric, and then each one cut out to create fabric shapes. They are then placed on the biscuit-fired body, and the patterns transferred by using a brush to impregnate the color. Nunozome saiji, as the name implies, is a combination of this technique with saiji, a technique to apply colors to ceramics; I prepare my own colors by using liquid colors (gold/red) such as gold chloride.

Biography

• 1968
  Born in Sakura City, Chiba Prefecture, as the eldest son of UETAKI Katsuji
• 1988
  Graduated from the Graphic Design Course at the Toyo Institute of Art & Design
  Travelled to Arita Town, Saga Prefecture for training
• 1993
  Returned from Arita Town, and started studying under his father UWATAKI Katsuji
• 1996
  Selected for the Japan Traditional Art Crafts Exhibition for the first time
• 1997
  Selected for the Japanese Ceramic Arts Exhibition for the first time
• 2004
  Solo exhibition at Nihonbashi Takashimaya
• 2005
  Full member, Japan Kogei Association
• 2009
  Submitted to the Japan Traditional Art Crafts Exhibition. The exhibited work was purchased by the Imperial Household Agency
• 2010
  Solo exhibition at Kakiden Gallery