Suzuki Miki was born in Bizen, Okayama and is the oldest son of the distinguished ceramist Suzuki Kōichi. Eager to learn about different traditions of ceramic works outside of his hometown, he went to Kyoto and studied at the Ceramic Training School. After his graduation, he went on to study with the ceramist Okamoto Akira.
His most recent invention is ao-Bizen or blue-Bizen, a specific blue color achieved by a delicate firing process, not by glazing or applying pigments. He is also known for application of white clay to the blue surface, using itchin, a decorative technique that creates curvilinear white patterns of hakudei-mon, or clay. This method is new to Bizen wares, which has a long history, beginning with Sue-ki or the gray and unglazed stone wares that Korean immigrants brought to Japan in the 5th or 6th century. Suzuki aims to harmoniously combine traditional Bizen with new and ambitious techniques, embracing history while contuining to explore exciting possibilities.
Selected Exhibitions
- 2013-2018 Asia Week, New York, US
- 2012 Arts of the Tea Ceremony, Tanabe Museum of Art, Shimane, Japan
- 2009 Heritage: Japanese Works by Contemporary Artists, Onishi Gallery, New York
- Public Collections
- Worcester Art Museum | Massachusetts, US