Eiko Maeda

Eiko Maeda graduated from Joshibi University of Art and Design in Tokyo, Japan. She is currently based in Woodbridge, Ontario. Maeda trained in ceramics at the Visual Arts Center in Montreal, and learned nerikomi (a traditional Japanese hand-building technique) under Eiji Murofushi in Fuji, Japan. In nerikomi, coloured clay is stacked together and sliced through in cross-sections to form small blocks. These blocks are then carefully pressed together to create repeating patterns and sliced into thin slabs. The slabs are draped over uniquely carved plaster molds to form vessel forms.

The focus of Eiko Maeda’s work is creating contemporary designs using traditional methods and forms of Japanese ceramics. Having been raised in Japan, she says, “my culture is an integral part of who I am and how I approach my work. Through my art, I strive to express the elegance, delicacy, and modesty of Japanese culture.”