Hitomi Shibata
“It's really important for me to use materials from nature. Wood firing is also an important process to complete my works and it gives a sustainable energy and brings life into my works.”
[...I want to make beautiful pots from natural materials and elements, and hope people will love, hold, and use them functionally in daily life....]
Hitomi Shibata is a Japanese potter and focuses on wood fired ceramics. She and her husband Takuro Shibata set up a pottery studio and two wood kilns at their home in Seagrove, NC. Hitomi uses wild clays from local sources and makes functional & sculptural ceramics. Wood firing is an important process for her and she believes it gives a sustainable energy and brings life into her works. Received B.Ed. in Arts & Crafts (Ceramics) and M.Ed. in Fine Arts (Ceramics) from Okayama University, Japan. Completed programs at Shigaraki Ceramic Cultural Park (1996-1997), UMass Dartmouth (2001-2002), Cub Creek Foundation for the Ceramic Arts (2003) and NC Pottery Center (2005-2007). Received Rotary International scholarship (2001-2002) and Daiwa Foundation Grant (2005-2006). Hitomi has participated in many shows, exhibitions, workshops and lectures in US, UK, China and Japan.