CALGARY, AB | Born in Japan, Noriko has lived in Canada since the age of one. She earned a BA in Classics (Latin and Ancient Greek) from the University of Calgary and had a career as a Registered Dental Technologist for nearly ten years, until she chose to make a career change and travelled to Stoke-on-Trent in the UK to study ceramics. There, she received an MA in Ceramics Design from Staffordshire University in 2013.
She has exhibited both nationally and internationally and her work can be found in private and public collections, including the Canadian Museum of History. She has been featured in publications such as Ceramics Monthly and Encyclopedia of Inspiration: Ceramics. Noriko spent over eight years as the Residency Coordinator for the Medalta International Artists in Residence Program in Medicine Hat, AB, where she was permanent resident. She currently works at the North Mount Pleasant and Wildflower Arts Centres in Calgary, AB.
Noriko is one of the feature artists in the AGA exhibition Between Things: Alberta Ceramics which runs from September 2, 2023 to March 3, 2024.
The Process
Following her training in Stoke-on-Trent UK, Noriko uses traditional industrial processes such as mould making and slip casting. She designs and creates all aspects of her work - from the model and mould to the final piece - using traditional equipment and methods, as well as modern computer-aided technologies. Though she creates her work using industrial methods, each piece receives considerable hands-on attention and thus has slight differences and its own individuality.
To cast the pieces, Noriko has created her own version of bone china, a clay body originally created for mass production and notoriously difficult to work with. She has chosen to work with this not only for its strength, whiteness, and translucency, but also because she feels it is important to show that the ceramic industry and its processes are just as valid as fine craft and one-of-a-kind studio ceramics.
