Artist: Hironobu Nishitateno
Hironobu Nishitateno, ILLINOIS
Hironobu "Nishi" Nishitateno puts his heart and soul into creating each of his handmade works of pottery. His pieces are made with natural materials and glazed with colors found in nature. Nishi's style is based on the simplicity and functionality of Japanese pottery, enhanced by international influences. He travels with notebook in hand, sketching designs and shapes that are worthy of incorporation into new works.
About:
Raised in Saitama Prefecture, just north of Tokyo, Hironobu "Nishi" Nishitateno dreamed of being a professional artist since childhood. After graduating from Hosei University in 2002 with a degree in Economics, Nishi moved south to the island of Kyushu and entered a year-long intensive pottery course at Kagoshima Kogyo Gijutsu Center. There, he learned and perfected techniques on the potter's wheel, tamed the kilns, and experimented with his own glaze recipes.
Following his graduation from the school, Nishi moved back to the Tokyo area and began working for the late Eisaku Mitsuhashi, a potter well known for his bright red signature glaze. Nishi won the Arts Association Prize at the Funabashi City Annual Exhibition and was invited to exhibit his work at the All Japan Tea Bowl Exhibition.
In August of 2008, Nishi moved to Loves Park, Illinois in America, just 90 minutes west of Chicago by car.