Takuro Shibata
“I try to put natural and manmade elements in my ceramic work. An existence of my work can be matched into the nature but it has elements that are not from nature. I hope my work will make harmony with food and flowers, and with the people who use them everyday.”
[...Making the form is the man-made part of my works. I try to leave my motion or movement on my clay works....]
Takuro Shibata jumped into an apprenticeship at one of oldest pottery studios in Shigaraki, Japan in 1996. During his apprenticeship, he also learned many things from other wonderful local potters around him. Then he started working as a potter and established his career and technique for about 4 years in Shigaraki. He came to United States in 2001 along with his wifes program at UMass Dartmouth, and he worked with local potters and artists in New Bedford, MA. He was an artist in residence at Worcester Center for Crafts, MA (2001), Peters Valley Craft Center, NJ (2002), UMass Dartmouth, MA (2002), Cub Creek Foundation for the Ceramic Arts, VA (2003), and held a Studio Tech position at Shigaraki Ceramic Cultural Park, Shigaraki, Japan (2004-2005). Takuro has B. Eng. in applied chemistry and his knowledge of ceramic materials in Japan and US landed him a director position at STARworks Ceramics Materials and Research (2005-Present), which brought him, his wife and one Shigaraki cat to Seagrove, NC. At STARworks, he researches many local rare ceramic materials, runs the ceramic supply business, and provides technical support for local potters and schools. Takuro also makes pots and has many wood firings at Studio Touya in Seagrove, NC.