Reid Ozaki
"...Ozaki has become one of the area's most respected potters."
Matthew Kangas; Ceramics Monthly, November 2009
"My ceramic vessels are informed by my interest in and love for the natural world and an interest in the aesthetics of the Japanese Tea ceremony. My work endeavors to synthesize these ideas with Western techniques and materials."
Over the years, my interest in the traditional Japanese arts has grown. At first my interest, probably going back to my grandfather’s influence, was in gardens. This quite easily transitioned to an interest in Ikebana (flower arranging), and then to Chanoyu (tea ceremony) and its influence on pottery. As I’ve learned more about the Tea ceremony, I have come to know how central that aesthetic is to Japanese art. While my work has changed several times during my career, this aesthetic is the underlying foundation to it all.