Ronaldo
03-14-2011, 07:13 PM
A great lady and potter has departed.
Toshiko Takaezu
1922-2011
NCECA learned from Dan Anderson early Wednesday morning, March 9, 2011 that Toshiko Takaezu had passed away earlier that day in Honolulu, Hawaii. Well known for works of quiet emotional impact that artfully integrate glaze color and surface qualities with austere forms, Toshiko was named an honorary member of NCECA in 1993. Born in 1922 in Pepeekeo on the Big Island, Takaezu's interest in pottery initiated at the Hawaii Potters Guild on Oahu. She attended the University of Hawaii at Manoa before going on to receive her MFA at the Cranbrook Academy of Art under Maija Grotell. Later, she taught at Cleveland Institute of Art and established studios in Clinton and Quakertown, N.J. In 1992 she retired from teaching at Princeton University from which she was subsequently awarded an honorary doctorate. Her lifelong, passionate dedication to her art and teaching were recognized through a Living Treasure Award from the Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii.
Dan was kind to send us the following remembrance of his dear friend to share with NCECA's membership.
NCECA Honorary Member, Toshiko Takaezu died peacefully, under hospice care, this past week, at a convalescent center in Honolulu, Hawaii. She was 88 years old. Much has been written and documented about Toshiko's life and her marvelous ceramics, fiber pieces, bronzes and paintings. Her obvious legacy will certainly be the thousands of her artworks that reside in both public and private collections. She spent the last two years of her life de-accessing her vast inventory of signature ceramic pieces to public collections. Her not-so-obvious gift will be the impact she has had on the contemporary ceramics community, particularly female ceramic artists. Never marrying, she was still able to have a large "family" consisting of her former apprentices, students and many, many friends. An apprentice once remarked, "Toshiko was mother to us all!" Words like passion, commitment, loyalty, dedication, caring, altruistic, toughness and love guided her daily existence. Toshiko lived life to the fullest and on her own terms. She was as comfortable picking string beans in her vegetable garden and cooking in her kitchen, as she was turning porcelain closed forms on her Shimpo potters wheel in her basement studio. In fact, she often commented how there was really no difference between the three: growing vegetables, cooking and making pots. Those members of NCECA who knew her will have their own stories and memories to share about her life and genius. As for me, although I am deeply saddened by her death, I am able to celebrate her life and her beauty, and the exceptional memories I possess, lingers just beyond the cloud that her final passing brings for the moment.
Toshiko Takaezu
1922-2011
NCECA learned from Dan Anderson early Wednesday morning, March 9, 2011 that Toshiko Takaezu had passed away earlier that day in Honolulu, Hawaii. Well known for works of quiet emotional impact that artfully integrate glaze color and surface qualities with austere forms, Toshiko was named an honorary member of NCECA in 1993. Born in 1922 in Pepeekeo on the Big Island, Takaezu's interest in pottery initiated at the Hawaii Potters Guild on Oahu. She attended the University of Hawaii at Manoa before going on to receive her MFA at the Cranbrook Academy of Art under Maija Grotell. Later, she taught at Cleveland Institute of Art and established studios in Clinton and Quakertown, N.J. In 1992 she retired from teaching at Princeton University from which she was subsequently awarded an honorary doctorate. Her lifelong, passionate dedication to her art and teaching were recognized through a Living Treasure Award from the Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii.
Dan was kind to send us the following remembrance of his dear friend to share with NCECA's membership.
NCECA Honorary Member, Toshiko Takaezu died peacefully, under hospice care, this past week, at a convalescent center in Honolulu, Hawaii. She was 88 years old. Much has been written and documented about Toshiko's life and her marvelous ceramics, fiber pieces, bronzes and paintings. Her obvious legacy will certainly be the thousands of her artworks that reside in both public and private collections. She spent the last two years of her life de-accessing her vast inventory of signature ceramic pieces to public collections. Her not-so-obvious gift will be the impact she has had on the contemporary ceramics community, particularly female ceramic artists. Never marrying, she was still able to have a large "family" consisting of her former apprentices, students and many, many friends. An apprentice once remarked, "Toshiko was mother to us all!" Words like passion, commitment, loyalty, dedication, caring, altruistic, toughness and love guided her daily existence. Toshiko lived life to the fullest and on her own terms. She was as comfortable picking string beans in her vegetable garden and cooking in her kitchen, as she was turning porcelain closed forms on her Shimpo potters wheel in her basement studio. In fact, she often commented how there was really no difference between the three: growing vegetables, cooking and making pots. Those members of NCECA who knew her will have their own stories and memories to share about her life and genius. As for me, although I am deeply saddened by her death, I am able to celebrate her life and her beauty, and the exceptional memories I possess, lingers just beyond the cloud that her final passing brings for the moment.