Artist: Shoko Teruyama


Artist: Shoko Teruyama
Shoko Teruyama, NEW YORK
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Growing up in Japan, I remember tradition being part of daily life. Temples and shrines were everywhere, even inside our home. I was drawn to these sacred spaces and ceremonial objects because they were decorated with texture and pattern contrasted by areas of calm and stillness.

These memories inspire my current work. I make boxes, intimate bowls, and small plates for precious objects, vases for flower arranging and a variety of serving pieces. Many of the forms allude to function and would serve food well, but are more comfortable being placed in sacred spaces of the home like the center of a formal dining room table, a hope chest, or a bedside stand.

The making begins with bisque molds, slab construction, and coil building to make thick, heavy forms. I carve, shave, and sand excess clay away to slowly reveal the final shape. Puff handles and other elements are added for physical decoration. White slip is brushed over the red earthenware to create depth and motion. Then I carve back through the slip exposing the red clay. Shiny translucent glazes are applied over the decorated areas and opaque matte glazes over the calm areas.

Ornamentation is important to my ideas. I have created motifs called vine patterns to lead your eye around the work. Patterns run continuously to create narrow borders or to fill large amounts of space. They can flow into tight curves just as easily as they can bend around the belly of a form. The patterns create visual movement representing water, wind, and clouds.

I create characters based on human relations and things I have experienced. To me it is much easier to draw owls than humans. I don't want to tell specific stories to people, I want people to create their own. Sometimes you feel like the weight of a turtle standing on top of you and sometimes you feel like an owl standing on top of the world. Some of my characters have a dark nature. I think that is life. Sometimes dark things happen. Overall, I want my work to have a sense of hope and a sense of humor because life goes on.

EDUCATION
2005
Master of Fine Arts (Ceramics), Wichita State University, Wichita KS
1996-1999
Ceramics courses, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln NE
1993
Bachelor of Arts (Education), Shizuoka University, Shizuoka Japan, 1993

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
2008-Present
Studio Artist, Marshall, NC
2012
New York State College of Ceramics, Alfred, NY. Visiting Artist
2005-Present
Penland School of Crafts. Penland, NC, Resident Artist
2007
Penland School of Crafts. Penland, NC, Instructor, Spring Concentration, "Unwound: An Introduction to Bisque Molds"

EXHIBITIONS
2014
Penland School of Crafts "Focus Gallery", Penland, NC (Solo Show)
AKAR "Shoko Teruyama and Matt Kelleher Recent Work", Iowa City, IA
St. Croix Pottery Tour "22nd Annual", Minneapolis, MN
Baltimore Clayworks "Indelible", Baltimore, MN
The College at Brockport "Embracing Function", Brockport, NY
Peters Valley "Considering the Kylix", Layton, NY
NCECA "Archie Bray Foundation", Milwaukee, WI
NCECA "Taming Nature", curated by Paul Donnelly, Milwaukee, WI
NCECA "Santa Fe Clay's La Mesa", Milwaukee, WI
College of Lake County "Embellished Surface", Grayslake, IL
College of Lake County "Cups II", Grayslake, IL
Archie Bray Foundation "Silent Auction", Helena, MT
LSU "8 Fluid Ounces", Baton Rouge, LA
AKAR "Yunomi", Iowa City, IA
2013
Archie Bray Foundation "Visiting Artist Exhibition", Helena, MT
Clay Studio "Recent Work in the Bonovitz Space Gallery", Philadelphia, PA
St. Croix Pottery Tour "21st Annual", Minneapolis, MN
AKAR "Yunomi", Iowa City, IA
Greenhill Center for Art "Wintershow", Greensboro, NC
2012
Turchin Center for Art "NC Artist Fellowship Award Exhibition", Boone, NC
AKAR "Shoko Teruyama and Matt Kelleher", Iowa City, IA
Crimson Laurel Gallery, "Story by Hand", Bakersville, NC
Baltimore Clayworks, "The World is Your Oyster", Baltimore, MD
Wayne Arts Center, "Functional Ceramics", Wooster, OH
College of Lake County, "The Cup", Grayslake, IL
AKAR Gallery, "Inspiration: Birds", Iowa City, IA
Cameron Art Museum, "Penland School:Evolution and Imagination", Wilmington, NC
Design Center, "NCECA 2012: To Wander Out of Place", Seattle, WA
Santa Fe Clay, "La Mesa 2012", Seattle, WA
Appalachian Center for Craft, "Workshop Faculty Exhibition", Smithville, TN
Peters Valley Craft Center, "27th Annual Benefit Auction", Penland, NC
Mint Museum of Craft and Design, "Potters Market Invitational", Charlotte, NC
Craft Alliance, "Hot Tea", St. Louis, MO
St, Croix Pottery Tour, "20th Annual", Minneapolis, MN
AKAR, "Yunomi Invitational", Iowa City, IA
Penland Gallery, "Artist's Plates", Penland, NC
Ferrin Gallery, "Covet", Pittsfield, MA
2011
Blue Spiral 1, "Clay as Canvas", Asheville, NC
Casper College, "Together", Casper, WY
Red Star Studios, "Holiday Sale", Kansas City, MO
Northern Clay Center, "Holiday Exhibition", Minneapllis, MN
Red Lodge Clay Center, "Artist of the Month", Red Lodge, MT
Lillstreet Art Center "Naughty and Nice", Chicago, IL
Edwardsville Art Center, "Harvest", Edwardsville, IL
Crimson Laurel Gallery, "Interpreting the Cup" Bakersville, NC
Clay Studio, "Cups and Coffee", Philadelphia, PA
Patina Gallery, "Penland Auction", Santa Fe, NM
18 Hands Gallery, "Penland Show", Houston, TX
AKAR, "Dessert Plate", Iowa City, IA
Signature Shop, "Shoko Teruyama and Matt Kelleher", Atlanta, GA
Clay Art CEnter, "Where We Agree: Shoko Teruyama and Matt Kelleher", Port Chester, NY
Bunnell Street Art Center, "The Language of American Pottery", Homer, AK
St. Croix Pottery Tour, "19th Annual", Minneapolis, MN
Odyssey Gallery, "Instructor Show", Asheville, NC
Santa Fe Clay, "La Mesa", Tampa, FL
AKAR, "Yunomi Invitational", Iowa City, IA
2010
Blue Spiral 1 "Recent Work," Asheville, NC (Solo Show)
AKAR "Recent Work," Iowa City, IA (Solo Show)
Penland Gallery "All This Happened, More or Less," Penland, NC
Ferrin Gallery "NCECA 2010," Philadelphia, PA
College of William and Mary "Workshop Presenters," Williamsburg, VA
St. Croix Pottery Tour "18th Annual," Minneapolis, MN
Baltimore Clayworks “Encore,” Baltimore, MD
Greenwich House Pottery "Made in Clay 2010," New York, NY
Northern Clay Center "American Pottery Festival 2010," Minneapolis, MN
Blue Spiral 1 "Cup Show," Asheville, NC
AKAR "Yunomi 2010," Iowa City, IA
Santa Fe Clay "La Mesa," NCECA Philadelphia, PA
The Art Center “Contemporary Clay 2010 Biennial,” Grand Junction, CO
LSU School of Art “8 Fluid Ounces,” Baton Rouge, LA
2009
Ferrin Gallery "South by Southeast," Pittsfield, MA
St. Croix Pottery Tour "17th Annual," Minneapolis, MN
Red Star Studios "Where the Wild Things Are," Kansas City, MO
Philadelphia Clay Studio "Gifted," Philadelphia, PA
Northern Clay Center "American Pottery Festival 2009," Minneapolis, MN
Baltimore Clayworks "Couplets," Baltimore, MD
Claymakers "Drawn Too," Durham, NC
AKAR "Yunomi 2009," Iowa City, IA
Santa Fe Clay "La Mesa," NCECA Phoenix, AZ
Greenwich House "Made In Clay 2009," New York, NY
Mint Museum of Craft and Design "Potters Market Invitational," Charlotte, NC
Penland School of Crafts "24th Annual Benefit Auction," Penland, NC
Archie Bray Foundation "Benefit Online Auction 2009," Helena, MT
Cervini Haas Gallery "NCECA Cup Show," Phoenix, AZ
Baltimore Clayworks "Spoon It, Fork It," Baltimore, MD
2008
Red Star Studio "Dynamic Ceramic Duos," Kansas City, MO
AKAR "Yunomi," Iowa City, IA
Santa Fe Clay “La Mesa,” Pittsburgh, PA
Philadelphia Clay Studio "Speaking Low-Surfaces in Earthenware," Philadelphia, PA
Santa Fe Clay“Emerging Talent,” Pittsburgh, PA
2007
Blue Spiral "Coming Up Down South," Asheville, NC
Market House Craft Center "Strictly Functional," Lancaster, PA (juried)
Red Star Studios "Fresh Hands," Kansas City, MO
Free Hand "Clay and Glass," Los Angeles, CA
Santa Fe Clay “La Mesa,” Santa Fe, NM
Philadelphia Clay Studio "Mastery in Clay," Philadelphia, PA
Kohler Arts Center - Artspace "One and Only," Kohler, WI
Penland Gallery "New Resident Work," Penland, NC
Santa Fe Clay "Botanical," Santa Fe, NM
Baltimore Clayworks "North Meets South," Baltimore, MD
Santa Fe Clay “La Mesa,” Louisville, KY
Penland Gallery "2007 Spring Concentration Faculty Show," Penland, NC
American Crafts Council "Baltimore Craft Show," Baltimore, MD
Mint Museum of Craft and Design "Potters Invitational," Charlotte, NC
Penland Gallery "Cup of Tea," Penland, NC
Santa Fe Clay "La Mesa," Santa Fe, NM
Design Gallery "Potluck," Burnsville, NC
2006
The Clay Studio "Gifted," Philadelphia, PA
Baltimore Clayworks "Winterfest 2006, " Baltimore, MD
Corning Community College "Ceramic Invitational 2006," Corning, NY
Artworks Gallery "Recent Work," Bozeman, MT (two person show)
Center for Craft, Creativity and Design “Penland Residents,” Hendersonville, NC
Santa Fe Clay “La Mesa,” Portland, OR
Baltimore Clayworks “Salt and Pepper,” Baltimore, MD
Carbondale Clay, "Ceramic Residencies of the South," Carbondale, CO
2005
Chester Springs Studio “Platters and Plates,” Chester Springs, PA
Penland Gallery “New Resident Work from the Barns,” Penland, NC
AKAR Gallery “30 X 5,” Iowa City, IA
Upstairs Gallery “Penland School of Crafts: Mind, Hands, Materials,” Tryon, NC
Clayton Staples Gallery, ”MFA Thesis Exhibition: Recollection,” Wichita, KS
The Clay Studio, “Marge Brown Graduate Student Exhibition,” Philadelphia, PA
Ulrich Museum of Art, “MFA Group Exhibition,” Wichita, KS
Ulrich Museum of Art, “15th Faculty Biennial,” Wichita, KS

WORKSHOPS
2014
University of Northern Arizona two-day workshop (taught with Matt Kelleher), Flagstaff, AZ
2013
Archie Bray Foundation "An Invitation to Slow Down" (taught with Matt Kelleher), Helena, MT
2011
Clay Art Center “Where We Agree,” One day workshop taught with Matt Kelleher, Port Chester, NY
Odyssey Center for Ceramic Arts “Slow Pottery,” One week hands on workshop taught with Matt Kelleher, Asheville, NC
Capser College two day workshop taught with Matt Kelleher, Casper, WY
2010
Penn State University Demonstration and public lecture with Matt Kelleher, College Station, PA
Southwest School of Art and Craft “Bisque Molds: An Invitation to slow down,” Three day hands on workshop taught with Matt Kelleher, San Antonio, TX
The Bascom (Demonstration/lecture with Matt Kelleher) Highlands, NC
2009
Santa Fe Clay "Scratching the Surface," One week hands on workshop, Santa Fe, NM
Baltimore Clayworks - Two day hands on workshop taught with Matt Kelleher, Baltimore, MD
Odyssey Center for Ceramic Arts "Bisque Molds: A Beginning," Two day workshop taught with Matt Kelleher, Asheville, NC
College of William and Mary - Two day workshop taught with Matt Kelleher

BIBLIOGRAPHY
2014
"Exposure", Ceramics Monthly, June 2014, p. 16 (photo p. 10, 16)
2011
"Up Front", Ceramics Monthly, May 2011, p. 17 (photo p. 17)
Teruyama, Shoko, "Shape and Shave", Pottery Making Illustrated, March/April 2011, p. 22-26 (photos, Cover)
2008
Schultz, Katey, "The Poetics of Collaboration", Ceramics Monthly, October 2008, p. 38-41 (photos p. 38-41)
2007
"What it Takes: Working Potters", Ceramics Monthly, June/July 2007, p. 46, 47 (image)