Artist: Hitomi Shibata
Hitomi Shibata, NORTH CAROLINA
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Bio
Hitomi Shibata is a Japanese ceramic artist based in Seagrove, North Carolina. She holds degrees in ceramic art from Okayama University in Japan and established her professional career in Shigaraki. In 2002, she received a Rotary International scholarship and became a special student at the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth. Hitomi and her husband, Takuro Shibata moved to NC in 2005 and set up a pottery studio. She creates functional pottery and sculptural ceramic work, utilizing North Carolina's wild clays and firing wood kilns. She has participated in artist-in-residence programs, led workshops, and presented her work at notable events. She is a member of the International Academy of Ceramics. In addition, she co-wrote "Wild Clay" (Bloomsbury Publishing, UK), which was published in 2022.
Artist Statement
I create my ceramic works using wild, locally sourced clays from North Carolina, incorporating natural materials into my pieces. Wood firing is a sustainable and important process for me. While working with wild clays and wood firing can be intricate, I focus on every step of the process to ensure high-quality work.
My journey in ceramics began at Okayama University, and I established a professional career in Shigaraki, Japan before studying at UMass-Dartmouth and settling in Seagrove, NC. I enjoy making pottery in my studio and strive to improve my skills every day. Working with wild clays and wood firing has made me stronger and more resilient as a ceramic artist.
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Educational Background and Degrees
2002 University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth, College of Visual & Performing Arts, Ceramics, Special Student, Diploma, New Bedford, MA, USA
1994 - 1996 Okayama University, Master of Education: Fine Arts: Ceramics, Okayama, Japan
1990 - 1994 Okayama University, Bachelor of Education: Fine Arts and Crafts: Ceramics, Okayama, Japan
Professional Experience
2021 Selected as a member of Artaxis
2017 Selected as a member of International Academy of Ceramics (IAC), Geneva, Switzerland
2015 Built small wood kiln at Studio Touya, Seagrove, NC
2014 Set up a gallery at Studio Touya, Seagrove, NC
2009 Built Japanese style Anagama wood kiln at Studio Touya, Seagrove, NC
2008 Setup pottery studio, DBA Studio Touya, Seagrove, NC
2010-2014 Clay Studio Coordinator, STARworks Ceramics, Star, NC
2005-2007 Artist-in-Residence, North Carolina Pottery Center, Seagrove, NC
2004-2005 Ceramic Research Assistant, Shigaraki Ceramic Research Institute, Shigaraki, Japan
2003 Residency Artist, Cub Creek Foundation for the Ceramics Arts, Appomattox, VA
1999-2001 Self-Employed Studio Potter, Shigaraki, Japan
1998-1999 Ceramic Research Assistant, Shigaraki Ceramic Research Institute, Shigaraki, Japan
1997-1998 Production potter at local pottery studio in Shigaraki, Japan
1996-1997 Residency Artist, Shigaraki Ceramic Cultural Park, Shigaraki, Japan
Scholarship and Fellowship
2005 Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation Grant for Woodfired Ceramics Research in England, traveled to London, Devon, Wales and Stoke-on-Trent
2001 Rotary Foundation Ambassadorial Scholarship
Publication
2022 “Art of State: Celebrating the Visual Art of North Carolina”, by Liza Roberts, UNC Press
2022 Co-author, “Wild Clay”, Published by Bloomsbury Publishing, London, UK
2022 “Telling Unique Stories” Studio Talk Issue by Pottery Making Illustrated/ Ceramics Monthly
2020 “North Carolina Wood-fired Then & Now” Exhibition Catalog, by Barbara Wiedemann, NC Pottery Center, Seagrove, NC
2019 “Everyday Ordinary” Exhibition Catalog for NCECA Minneapolis Gallery Expo, Published by the Clay Studio
2017 “Controlled Burn” by Barbara Wiedemann, Published by North Carolina Pottery Center
2017 “Working Potters” Ceramics Monthly, June-Aug Issue, Ohio, USA
2005 - 2006 “A Potter’s Life in America” 12 articles, Touyu Ceramic Magazine, Tokyo, Japan
2003 “Cub Creek workshop at Longwood University with Takuro and Hitomi Shibata” written by Randy Edmonson, Studio Potter Network, USA
Membership and Affiliation
2023 - Present Geology Mission in Lebanon, IAC and partnership with UNESCO, Committee member
2022 - Present IAC Communication Commission, Committee Member
2021 - Present Artaxis, Member, USA
2017 - Present International Academy of Ceramics (IAC) Member, Geneva, Switzerland
2016 - Present NCECA, Member, USA
2008 - Present Seagrove Area Potters Association, Member, Seagrove, NC, USA
Workshop, Lecture and Conference
2023 Penland School of Craft, Spring Short Session, ”Making and Place”, Penland, NC
2023 “Shigaraki” Contemporary Artists on an Ancient Tradition, Panel, Online Webinar, hosted by Joan Mirvis Ltd, New York, NY
2022 Lecture at NC State University, School of Architecture + AIA Triangle, Raleigh, NC
2022 Kansas City Clay Guild Teabowl National, Jury, Workshop and lecture, Kansas CIty, MO
2022 South Carolina Clay Conference “Embracing Flame”, Guest Artist, Newberry, SC
2022 Woodfire NC Conference, Panel Discussion, STARworks, Star, NC
2022 Summer Workshop, Session 1, Haystack School of Craft, Deer Isle, ME
2022 NCECA Sacramento, Panel Discussion “ Explorations in Art and Material Science”
2021 Three Potters Symposium, The Bascom, Highlands, NC
2021 NCECA Virtual, Panel Discussion, “Seagrove Clay: Cross-Cultural Traditions”
2019 Wild Clay workshop, Summer Session 7, Penland School of Crafts, Penland, NC
2019 Japanese Pottery workshop, The Art League, Alexandria, VA
2017 Wood Firing Workshop, Peters Valley School of Craft, Layton, NJ
2017 NCECA Portland, Blinc20/20 “Studio Touya: Wood-fired Japanese Pottery with wild clays in Seagrove, NC”
2007 Ceramic Workshop & Lecture, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC
2006 Ceramic Workshop & Lecture, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY
2003 Ceramic Workshop & Lecture, Longwood Center for the Visual Arts, Farmville, VA
2003 Ceramic Workshop & Lecture, Cub CreekStudio, Appomattox, VA
2002 Ceramic Workshop & Lecture, Longwood University, Farmville, VA
Award, Selected Exhibition and Juried Competition
2022 Invitational Exhibition “EnVision” at Woodfire NC Conference, STARworks NC, Star, NC
2022 National Teapot Exhibition “STEEP” at Arts Council of Princeton, Princeton, NJ
2021- 2022 Juried Exhibition, “2021 International Coffee Cup Competition”, New Taipei City Yingge Ceramics Museum, Taiwan
2021 Juried Exhibition “A Taste of Home” Juried by Julia Galloway, Clay Art Center, Port Chester, NY
2021 Juried Exhibition “Women of Woodfire 2021” Juried by Careen Stoll and Lindsay Oesterritter, Eutectic Gallery, Portland, OR
2021 Juried Ceramic Exhibition “Form and Function” Juried by Christa Asad, Applied Contemporary Gallery, Oakland, CA
2019 Juried Ceramic Competition, “the 1st World Ceramic Teapot Art Competition”, Received an Award of Honor, Yixing, China
2019 Juried Exhibition, “Art of Clay National” Juried by Doug Fitch, North Carolina Pottery Center, Seagrove, NC
2018 International Academy of Ceramics Juried Exhibition, “New Orientalia: Functionality, Spirituality, Diversity” New Taipei City Yingge Ceramics Museum, Taipei, Taiwan
2018 Juried Exhibition, “The Clay Studio National”, Juried by Beth Ann Gerstein, Executive Director of the American Museum of Ceramic Art, The Clay Studio, Philadelphia, PA
2018 Juried Exhibition, “Small Favors”, The Clay Studio, Philadelphia, PA
2017 The Cup Show: The Hudgens 2nd National Juried & Invitational Cup Exhibition, Received Cup award, Duluth, GA, USA
2016 Juried Exhibition, the 24th Strictly Functional Pottery National, Received the Best Teapot Award, Lancaster, PA, USA
1996 Juried Exhibition, Japan Kogei Association, Chugoku region, Selected, Okayama, Japan
And many more exhibitions and shows in the US, Japan, Asia and Europe.