Announcing Saya Moriyasu’s exhibition, Ozekitachi 尾石達- Stone Tails, at J. Rinehart Gallery

(Seattle, WA) — January 17, 2024 — J. Rinehart Gallery is delighted to announce exhibition of long- time Seattle artist, Saya Moriyasu. Moriyasu’s exhibition, Ozekitachi 尾石達- Stone Tails, brings together the heightened awareness of Japanese spirits escaping from the depths of oozing hot water, basking in their first daylight, and encountering humans within their thermal wonders.

Ozekitachi 尾石達- Stone Tails will be on view online and in the Gallery March 2 - 27, 2024. Collectors Preview Reception will be held in the gallery Saturday, March 2 from 3-5pm. Public Opening will be held First Thursday, March 7 from 5- 8pm. An Artist Talk will be held Saturday March 16 from 2- 4pm.

The term "Ozekitachi" (尾石達) combines "Ozeki" (尾石), which can be interpreted as "tail of the stone,” and "tachi" (達), a suffix often used to pluralize or indicate a group of individuals. In Japanese, adding "tachi" to a noun or name can suggest a plural form or indicate a group. The family is comprised of Onsen (hot springs), creatures, members of the Ozeki.

The indigenous Japanese Shinto religion, Kami (gods), or spirits inhabit every facet of existence. Moriyasu highlights ancient geology and origin of life through her depictions of thermal creatures. They break through the mineral deposits of the Onsen, imbuing them with unadorned simplicity.

Moriyasu’s creatures communicate by expelling their minerals upon awakening beneath the surface. Using clay sourced from the earth, Moriyasu encapsulates these entities through their mineral dried mouths and eyes.

Of her work Moriyasu states: “During the road trip to my September 2023 residency at Mission Street Arts in New Mexico, a transformative journey unfolded, where the hot springs (onsen ♨ in Japanese) became a profound source of inspiration. I found myself enveloped in the wordless communication of the waters. Though incomprehensible in language, I felt the energy and presence of deities within the depths.”

Working in clay, wood, ink, and many other materials, Moriyasu’s work is often comprised of many small pieces that make up a larger piece. Her work can be found in the collections of the Henry Art Gallery, Seattle Art Museum, Tacoma Art Museum, Wing Luke Museum, Whatcom Museum, Western Gallery, Western Washington University, NW Museum of Arts and Culture, and Washington State University, as well as countless private collections throughout the U.S.

J. Rinehart Gallery 319 Third Avenue S, Seattle, WA 98104 www.jrinehartgallery.com

photo by Alexandra Kackenski

a 30 second video that flips through the pages of the book

Announcing Saya Moriyasu’s exhibition, Ozekitachi 尾石達- Stone Tails, at J. Rinehart Gallery

(Seattle, WA) — January 17, 2024 — J. Rinehart Gallery is delighted to announce exhibition of long- time Seattle artist, Saya Moriyasu. Moriyasu’s exhibition, Ozekitachi 尾石達- Stone Tails, brings together the heightened awareness of Japanese spirits escaping from the depths of oozing hot water, basking in their first daylight, and encountering humans within their thermal wonders.

Ozekitachi 尾石達- Stone Tails will be on view online and in the Gallery March 2 - 27, 2024. Collectors Preview Reception will be held in the gallery Saturday, March 2 from 3-5pm. Public Opening will be held First Thursday, March 7 from 5- 8pm. An Artist Talk will be held Saturday March 16 from 2- 4pm.

The term "Ozekitachi" (尾石達) combines "Ozeki" (尾石), which can be interpreted as "tail of the stone,” and "tachi" (達), a suffix often used to pluralize or indicate a group of individuals. In Japanese, adding "tachi" to a noun or name can suggest a plural form or indicate a group. The family is comprised of Onsen (hot springs), creatures, members of the Ozeki.

The indigenous Japanese Shinto religion, Kami (gods), or spirits inhabit every facet of existence. Moriyasu highlights ancient geology and origin of life through her depictions of thermal creatures. They break through the mineral deposits of the Onsen, imbuing them with unadorned simplicity.

Moriyasu’s creatures communicate by expelling their minerals upon awakening beneath the surface. Using clay sourced from the earth, Moriyasu encapsulates these entities through their mineral dried mouths and eyes.

Of her work Moriyasu states: “During the road trip to my September 2023 residency at Mission Street Arts in New Mexico, a transformative journey unfolded, where the hot springs (onsen ♨ in Japanese) became a profound source of inspiration. I found myself enveloped in the wordless communication of the waters. Though incomprehensible in language, I felt the energy and presence of deities within the depths.”

Working in clay, wood, ink, and many other materials, Moriyasu’s work is often comprised of many small pieces that make up a larger piece. Her work can be found in the collections of the Henry Art Gallery, Seattle Art Museum, Tacoma Art Museum, Wing Luke Museum, Whatcom Museum, Western Gallery, Western Washington University, NW Museum of Arts and Culture, and Washington State University, as well as countless private collections throughout the U.S.

J. Rinehart Gallery 319 Third Avenue S, Seattle, WA 98104 www.jrinehartgallery.com

photo by Alexandra Kackenski

Announcing Saya Moriyasu’s exhibition, Ozekitachi 尾石達- Stone Tails, at J. Rinehart Gallery

(Seattle, WA) — January 17, 2024 — J. Rinehart Gallery is delighted to announce exhibition of long- time Seattle artist, Saya Moriyasu. Moriyasu’s exhibition, Ozekitachi 尾石達- Stone Tails, brings together the heightened awareness of Japanese spirits escaping from the depths of oozing hot water, basking in their first daylight, and encountering humans within their thermal wonders.

Ozekitachi 尾石達- Stone Tails will be on view online and in the Gallery March 2 - 27, 2024. Collectors Preview Reception will be held in the gallery Saturday, March 2 from 3-5pm. Public Opening will be held First Thursday, March 7 from 5- 8pm. An Artist Talk will be held Saturday March 16 from 2- 4pm.

The term "Ozekitachi" (尾石達) combines "Ozeki" (尾石), which can be interpreted as "tail of the stone,” and "tachi" (達), a suffix often used to pluralize or indicate a group of individuals. In Japanese, adding "tachi" to a noun or name can suggest a plural form or indicate a group. The family is comprised of Onsen (hot springs), creatures, members of the Ozeki.

The indigenous Japanese Shinto religion, Kami (gods), or spirits inhabit every facet of existence. Moriyasu highlights ancient geology and origin of life through her depictions of thermal creatures. They break through the mineral deposits of the Onsen, imbuing them with unadorned simplicity.

Moriyasu’s creatures communicate by expelling their minerals upon awakening beneath the surface. Using clay sourced from the earth, Moriyasu encapsulates these entities through their mineral dried mouths and eyes.

Of her work Moriyasu states: “During the road trip to my September 2023 residency at Mission Street Arts in New Mexico, a transformative journey unfolded, where the hot springs (onsen ♨ in Japanese) became a profound source of inspiration. I found myself enveloped in the wordless communication of the waters. Though incomprehensible in language, I felt the energy and presence of deities within the depths.”

Working in clay, wood, ink, and many other materials, Moriyasu’s work is often comprised of many small pieces that make up a larger piece. Her work can be found in the collections of the Henry Art Gallery, Seattle Art Museum, Tacoma Art Museum, Wing Luke Museum, Whatcom Museum, Western Gallery, Western Washington University, NW Museum of Arts and Culture, and Washington State University, as well as countless private collections throughout the U.S.

J. Rinehart Gallery 319 Third Avenue S, Seattle, WA 98104 www.jrinehartgallery.com

photo by Alexandra Kackenski

Announcing Saya Moriyasu’s exhibition, Ozekitachi 尾石達- Stone Tails, at J. Rinehart Gallery

(Seattle, WA) — January 17, 2024 — J. Rinehart Gallery is delighted to announce exhibition of long- time Seattle artist, Saya Moriyasu. Moriyasu’s exhibition, Ozekitachi 尾石達- Stone Tails, brings together the heightened awareness of Japanese spirits escaping from the depths of oozing hot water, basking in their first daylight, and encountering humans within their thermal wonders.

Ozekitachi 尾石達- Stone Tails will be on view online and in the Gallery March 2 - 27, 2024. Collectors Preview Reception will be held in the gallery Saturday, March 2 from 3-5pm. Public Opening will be held First Thursday, March 7 from 5- 8pm. An Artist Talk will be held Saturday March 16 from 2- 4pm.

The term "Ozekitachi" (尾石達) combines "Ozeki" (尾石), which can be interpreted as "tail of the stone,” and "tachi" (達), a suffix often used to pluralize or indicate a group of individuals. In Japanese, adding "tachi" to a noun or name can suggest a plural form or indicate a group. The family is comprised of Onsen (hot springs), creatures, members of the Ozeki.

The indigenous Japanese Shinto religion, Kami (gods), or spirits inhabit every facet of existence. Moriyasu highlights ancient geology and origin of life through her depictions of thermal creatures. They break through the mineral deposits of the Onsen, imbuing them with unadorned simplicity.

Moriyasu’s creatures communicate by expelling their minerals upon awakening beneath the surface. Using clay sourced from the earth, Moriyasu encapsulates these entities through their mineral dried mouths and eyes.

Of her work Moriyasu states: “During the road trip to my September 2023 residency at Mission Street Arts in New Mexico, a transformative journey unfolded, where the hot springs (onsen ♨ in Japanese) became a profound source of inspiration. I found myself enveloped in the wordless communication of the waters. Though incomprehensible in language, I felt the energy and presence of deities within the depths.”

Working in clay, wood, ink, and many other materials, Moriyasu’s work is often comprised of many small pieces that make up a larger piece. Her work can be found in the collections of the Henry Art Gallery, Seattle Art Museum, Tacoma Art Museum, Wing Luke Museum, Whatcom Museum, Western Gallery, Western Washington University, NW Museum of Arts and Culture, and Washington State University, as well as countless private collections throughout the U.S.

J. Rinehart Gallery 319 Third Avenue S, Seattle, WA 98104 www.jrinehartgallery.com

photo by Alexandra Kackenski

Announcing Saya Moriyasu’s exhibition, Ozekitachi 尾石達- Stone Tails, at J. Rinehart Gallery

(Seattle, WA) — January 17, 2024 — J. Rinehart Gallery is delighted to announce exhibition of long- time Seattle artist, Saya Moriyasu. Moriyasu’s exhibition, Ozekitachi 尾石達- Stone Tails, brings together the heightened awareness of Japanese spirits escaping from the depths of oozing hot water, basking in their first daylight, and encountering humans within their thermal wonders.

Ozekitachi 尾石達- Stone Tails will be on view online and in the Gallery March 2 - 27, 2024. Collectors Preview Reception will be held in the gallery Saturday, March 2 from 3-5pm. Public Opening will be held First Thursday, March 7 from 5- 8pm. An Artist Talk will be held Saturday March 16 from 2- 4pm.

The term "Ozekitachi" (尾石達) combines "Ozeki" (尾石), which can be interpreted as "tail of the stone,” and "tachi" (達), a suffix often used to pluralize or indicate a group of individuals. In Japanese, adding "tachi" to a noun or name can suggest a plural form or indicate a group. The family is comprised of Onsen (hot springs), creatures, members of the Ozeki.

The indigenous Japanese Shinto religion, Kami (gods), or spirits inhabit every facet of existence. Moriyasu highlights ancient geology and origin of life through her depictions of thermal creatures. They break through the mineral deposits of the Onsen, imbuing them with unadorned simplicity.

Moriyasu’s creatures communicate by expelling their minerals upon awakening beneath the surface. Using clay sourced from the earth, Moriyasu encapsulates these entities through their mineral dried mouths and eyes.

Of her work Moriyasu states: “During the road trip to my September 2023 residency at Mission Street Arts in New Mexico, a transformative journey unfolded, where the hot springs (onsen ♨ in Japanese) became a profound source of inspiration. I found myself enveloped in the wordless communication of the waters. Though incomprehensible in language, I felt the energy and presence of deities within the depths.”

Working in clay, wood, ink, and many other materials, Moriyasu’s work is often comprised of many small pieces that make up a larger piece. Her work can be found in the collections of the Henry Art Gallery, Seattle Art Museum, Tacoma Art Museum, Wing Luke Museum, Whatcom Museum, Western Gallery, Western Washington University, NW Museum of Arts and Culture, and Washington State University, as well as countless private collections throughout the U.S.

J. Rinehart Gallery 319 Third Avenue S, Seattle, WA 98104 www.jrinehartgallery.com

photo by Alexandra Kackenski

Announcing Saya Moriyasu’s exhibition, Ozekitachi 尾石達- Stone Tails, at J. Rinehart Gallery

(Seattle, WA) — January 17, 2024 — J. Rinehart Gallery is delighted to announce exhibition of long- time Seattle artist, Saya Moriyasu. Moriyasu’s exhibition, Ozekitachi 尾石達- Stone Tails, brings together the heightened awareness of Japanese spirits escaping from the depths of oozing hot water, basking in their first daylight, and encountering humans within their thermal wonders.

Ozekitachi 尾石達- Stone Tails will be on view online and in the Gallery March 2 - 27, 2024. Collectors Preview Reception will be held in the gallery Saturday, March 2 from 3-5pm. Public Opening will be held First Thursday, March 7 from 5- 8pm. An Artist Talk will be held Saturday March 16 from 2- 4pm.

The term "Ozekitachi" (尾石達) combines "Ozeki" (尾石), which can be interpreted as "tail of the stone,” and "tachi" (達), a suffix often used to pluralize or indicate a group of individuals. In Japanese, adding "tachi" to a noun or name can suggest a plural form or indicate a group. The family is comprised of Onsen (hot springs), creatures, members of the Ozeki.

The indigenous Japanese Shinto religion, Kami (gods), or spirits inhabit every facet of existence. Moriyasu highlights ancient geology and origin of life through her depictions of thermal creatures. They break through the mineral deposits of the Onsen, imbuing them with unadorned simplicity.

Moriyasu’s creatures communicate by expelling their minerals upon awakening beneath the surface. Using clay sourced from the earth, Moriyasu encapsulates these entities through their mineral dried mouths and eyes.

Of her work Moriyasu states: “During the road trip to my September 2023 residency at Mission Street Arts in New Mexico, a transformative journey unfolded, where the hot springs (onsen ♨ in Japanese) became a profound source of inspiration. I found myself enveloped in the wordless communication of the waters. Though incomprehensible in language, I felt the energy and presence of deities within the depths.”

Working in clay, wood, ink, and many other materials, Moriyasu’s work is often comprised of many small pieces that make up a larger piece. Her work can be found in the collections of the Henry Art Gallery, Seattle Art Museum, Tacoma Art Museum, Wing Luke Museum, Whatcom Museum, Western Gallery, Western Washington University, NW Museum of Arts and Culture, and Washington State University, as well as countless private collections throughout the U.S.

J. Rinehart Gallery 319 Third Avenue S, Seattle, WA 98104 www.jrinehartgallery.com

photo by Alexandra Kackenski

Saya Moriyas, 2024, ceramic, glaze and Kumihimo (Japanese braided cord), 25 x 13 x 13 inches

new work in progress for March 2024 show at J. Rinehart Gallery

The hot springs on my road trip and residency at Misson Street Arts in New Mexico are the genesis for my newest works. I mainlined into the ancient geology and beginnings of life on earth via hot springs.

I love the oozing hot water seeping from the depth. First hearing them talk when I floated on my back at Pagosa Springs in Colorado. The burbling communication that I couldn’t understand but felt the energy and deities in the world below. At Jemez Springs the water oozes out of little mouths in the ground. Their lips are dyed with minerals and form layers.

I’ve been calling the series onsen creatures. Onsen is the word for hot springs in Japanese. And they use this symbol ♨ for them. In the indigenous Shinto religion, kami (spirits or deities) inhabit all aspects of the world. Hot springs awakened my awareness of the kami and made me want to manifest what I feel into the visual world.

I drew the kami in ink on paper at the Jemez Spring residency. I imagined the spirits seeing the light and encountering humans in the water as they became conscious. Exploring us with their bubbles and trying to communicate. They are energy rising out of the depths with various levels of evolution. Sometimes gods and sometimes just unformed beings. These new creatures are made out of ancient geology. They have the wisdom of old at times and others are simplistic creatures. They aren’t put together “correctly” and can’t talk but spew minerals. Below the earth they are asleep and when they emerge the minerals burble out of their mouth and eyes.

Upon returning to my ceramic studio in Seattle I furthered my studies. The ceramic process uses clay mined from the earth and minerals to make the glazes. This deepens the art’s connection to our planet and the history of ceramic art. When their mouths are dripping the mineral glazes I’m also thinking about glazing pots and that being a whisper from the earth’s kami.

Catalog available from Blurb

J. Rinehart Gallery

many works available via her website and in the gallery

Catalog available from Blurb

J. Rinehart Gallery

many works available via her website and in the gallery

Catalog available from Blurb

J. Rinehart Gallery

many works available via her website and in the gallery

Catalog available from Blurb

J. Rinehart Gallery

many works available via her website and in the gallery

Catalog available from Blurb

J. Rinehart Gallery

many works available via her website and in the gallery

Catalog available from Blurb

J. Rinehart Gallery

many works available via her website and in the gallery

Saya and Vishavjit Singh, ‘Sikh Captain America,’ during the “unveiling”

Big strong hands invite you to touch and connect. Feel her strength and take a moment to relax. Her kind face gazes at you, perceiving your inner thoughts, your potential, your perfection.

In Japanese, Maya means truth. The figure is not a portrait, but it was important that she have an identity--a name that represents strength. Maya projects a state of mind and a future where equality and compassion reign.

As a monumental standing figure, Maya is like traditional public sculpture, but her detailing makes her a purely 21st-century creature. While sculpting this piece the 2017 Women’s March and Movement fused in her stance and snippets of songs would repeat in my mind -- Beyoncé’s song “Run the World - Girls” and Nirvana’s “Come as You Are.” Maya is inspired by memories of many strong women and girls in my life: her curly hair from my mother, with her 1970s maxi skirts, the braided bun from my gray-haired British neighbor, bright, wide-open eyes from my young nieces. The plants on her skirt are bamboo shoots. A stalwart resource for food, clothing, shelter, and defense, these emerging bamboo plants embody the past, present, and future. All these details endow Maya with the power, resources, and love to support you and welcome a glowing future.

Bronze casting by Blue Mountain Fine Art.

Commissioned by Vulcan Real Estate

Big strong hands invite you to touch and connect. Feel her strength and take a moment to relax. Her kind face gazes at you, perceiving your inner thoughts, your potential, your perfection.

In Japanese, Maya means truth. The figure is not a portrait, but it was important that she have an identity--a name that represents strength. Maya projects a state of mind and a future where equality and compassion reign.

As a monumental standing figure, Maya is like traditional public sculpture, but her detailing makes her a purely 21st-century creature. While sculpting this piece the 2017 Women’s March and Movement fused in her stance and snippets of songs would repeat in my mind -- Beyoncé’s song “Run the World - Girls” and Nirvana’s “Come as You Are.” Maya is inspired by memories of many strong women and girls in my life: her curly hair from my mother, with her 1970s maxi skirts, the braided bun from my gray-haired British neighbor, bright, wide-open eyes from my young nieces. The plants on her skirt are bamboo shoots. A stalwart resource for food, clothing, shelter, and defense, these emerging bamboo plants embody the past, present, and future. All these details endow Maya with the power, resources, and love to support you and welcome a glowing future.

Bronze casting by Blue Mountain Fine Art.

Commissioned by Vulcan Real Estate

Big strong hands invite you to touch and connect. Feel her strength and take a moment to relax. Her kind face gazes at you, perceiving your inner thoughts, your potential, your perfection.

In Japanese, Maya means truth. The figure is not a portrait, but it was important that she have an identity--a name that represents strength. Maya projects a state of mind and a future where equality and compassion reign.

As a monumental standing figure, Maya is like traditional public sculpture, but her detailing makes her a purely 21st-century creature. While sculpting this piece the 2017 Women’s March and Movement fused in her stance and snippets of songs would repeat in my mind -- Beyoncé’s song “Run the World - Girls” and Nirvana’s “Come as You Are.” Maya is inspired by memories of many strong women and girls in my life: her curly hair from my mother, with her 1970s maxi skirts, the braided bun from my gray-haired British neighbor, bright, wide-open eyes from my young nieces. The plants on her skirt are bamboo shoots. A stalwart resource for food, clothing, shelter, and defense, these emerging bamboo plants embody the past, present, and future. All these details endow Maya with the power, resources, and love to support you and welcome a glowing future.

Bronze casting by Blue Mountain Fine Art.

Commissioned by Vulcan Real Estate

Image of a performance piece in July 2019.

photo Emry Dinman / Columbia City Herald

Collectively we made quail costumes and joined in the Centennial Parade for the small town of Soap Lake, Washington. The idea was to celebrate the natural world of Soap Lake in what was otherwise a human-centric parade celebrating 100 years of the town’s history. Collaborators include (left to right in the photo and incidentally the costume makers): Cat Jobes, Catherine Uehara, Emi Olson, Saya Moriysau, Michelle Kumata, Eve Cohen and participants not pictured: Tara Nelson-Zagar, Alison Gooding, Theresa Segneri, Paula O’Neill and Leslie Taylor.

2010, ceramic, glaze, and acrylic paint, 9’ x 12’ x 12

Bellevue Arts Museum, biennial

This piece is a take on the migration of people represented with dogs.  But their attitude is that it is a small shift.  They are just walking through the mountains.  But that walk has taken them to new lands, and away from their country.  I'm thinking about the politics of geography and the history of items for export.  My father was an immigrant from Japan and I often try to imagine how anyone could so drastically alter his or her lives willingly.  In this case the dogs are happily unaware of the journey they are undertaking.​

photo: Steven Miller

​

Absorbent Ground, 2019, ceramic, acrylic medium, sumi ink, walnut ink and other inks, video

and

Shou Sugi Ban, 2019, cedar wood, wood, porcelain, acrylic medium, ink and fabric

Lotus Islands creates space for contemplation and is comprised of two sculptural works Absorbent Ground and Shou Sugi Ban.

The image for the artwork is that of a lotus plant. The lotus flower in Buddhism symbolizes enlightenment. The flower blossoms on long stalks with shiny flowers that repel raindrops. The stalks are attached to rhizomes that grow in the murky depths of lakes. A metaphor for the spirit rising from the body and out of the physical world. The materials Moriyasu uses for the installation reinforce the lotus connection.

Absorbent Ground title comes from the name of the acrylic medium that coats the sculptures. Absorbent ground medium adds a paper-like surface to the otherwise repellant ceramic. Our minds and bodies must be permeable to be alive, learn and grow. Relating the absorption of the rhizomes and worldly attachment, Moriyasu’s drawings take us on a journey.

Shou Sugi Ban title comes from the Japanese method of burning wood to preserve it. By burning the surface of wood, it resists rot and insects. Much like enlightenment is impervious to the cycles of life and suffering. The burnt wood and vitreous porcelain exhibit the beauty of the materials and reflect the idea of higher consciousness.

Moriyasu states:

Lotus Islands came about as a spontaneous visualization of the artwork I should create for the museum. Like an exercise in automatic* sculpting rather than a preplanned idea. The easy flow channeled from the generations of artists in my family. Parts of the altar are from some of my ancestors’ possessions.**

With my mother’s passing from t-cell lymphoma, I have been revisiting heirlooms and family history. My family line includes a Buddhist monk who was a potter, an abstract expressionist painter, a Japanese Chado (tea ceremony) master, and a 1960s black and white art photographer. Both the painter and photographer used abstracted bodies and I see their artwork daily.

The sculptures allude to bodies, lymph nodes, islands and are laid out like an archipelago. Each sculpture reveals only part of the drawing, referring to the perspective of memory. One line or image will continue or change relative to the other drawings. The non-linear stories change depending on where your eyes take you.

Burning comes into play in several ways. Part of my mother’s passing required a Buddhist monk to come to the family altar to send the spirits out. The altar will be burned so it can no longer be used as an object. The altar at MoNA, has a burnt cedar exterior with a white porcelain sculpture inside. Partly burning the wood preserves it; “firing” in a kiln turns soft clay into brilliantly white porcelain. Through heat and fire, the materials become more beautiful much like the mortal body releasing to an immortal spirit.

*referring to automatic writing which is said to be produced by a spiritual, occult, or subconscious agency rather than by the conscious intention of the writer

**the thick cedar base, and metal parts from my father, the pink sash, and interior base were from my mother/grandmother

Absorbent Ground, 2019, ceramic, acrylic medium, sumi ink, walnut ink and other inks, video

and

Shou Sugi Ban, 2019, cedar wood, wood, porcelain, acrylic medium, ink and fabric

Lotus Islands creates space for contemplation and is comprised of two sculptural works Absorbent Ground and Shou Sugi Ban.

The image for the artwork is that of a lotus plant. The lotus flower in Buddhism symbolizes enlightenment. The flower blossoms on long stalks with shiny flowers that repel raindrops. The stalks are attached to rhizomes that grow in the murky depths of lakes. A metaphor for the spirit rising from the body and out of the physical world. The materials Moriyasu uses for the installation reinforce the lotus connection.

Absorbent Ground title comes from the name of the acrylic medium that coats the sculptures. Absorbent ground medium adds a paper-like surface to the otherwise repellant ceramic. Our minds and bodies must be permeable to be alive, learn and grow. Relating the absorption of the rhizomes and worldly attachment, Moriyasu’s drawings take us on a journey.

Shou Sugi Ban title comes from the Japanese method of burning wood to preserve it. By burning the surface of wood, it resists rot and insects. Much like enlightenment is impervious to the cycles of life and suffering. The burnt wood and vitreous porcelain exhibit the beauty of the materials and reflect the idea of a higher consciousness.

Moriyasu states:

Lotus Islands came about as a spontaneous visualization of the artwork I should create for the museum. Like an exercise in automatic* sculpting rather than a preplanned idea. The easy flow channeled from the generations of artists in my family. Parts of the altar are from some of my ancestors’ possessions.**

With my mother’s passing from t-cell lymphoma, I have been revisiting heirlooms and family history. My family line includes a buddhist monk who was a potter, an abstract expressionist painter, Japanese chado (tea ceremony) masters and a 1960s black and white art photographer. Both the painter and photographer used abstracted bodies and I see their artwork daily.

The sculptures allude to bodies, lymph nodes, islands and are laid out like an archipelago. Each sculpture reveals only part of the drawing, referring to perspective of memory. One line or image will continue or change relative to the other drawings. The non-linear stories change depending on where your eyes take you.

Burning comes into play in several ways. Part of my mother’s passing required a Buddhist monk to come to the family altar to send the spirits out. The altar will be burned so it can no longer be used as an object. The altar at MoNA, has a burnt cedar exterior with a white porcelain sculpture inside. Partly burning the wood preserves it; “firing” in a kiln turns soft clay into brilliantly white porcelain. Through heat and fire the materials become more beautiful much like the mortal body releasing to an immortal spirit.

*referring to automatic writing which is said to be produced by a spiritual, occult, or subconscious agency rather than by the conscious intention of the writer

**the thick cedar base, and metal parts from my father, the pink sash, and interior base were from my mother/grandmother

Absorbent Ground, 2019, ceramic, acrylic medium, sumi ink, walnut ink and other inks, video

and

Shou Sugi Ban, 2019, cedar wood, wood, porcelain, acrylic medium, ink and fabric

Lotus Islands creates space for contemplation and is comprised of two sculptural works Absorbent Ground and Shou Sugi Ban.

The image for the artwork is that of a lotus plant. The lotus flower in Buddhism symbolizes enlightenment. The flower blossoms on long stalks with shiny flowers that repel raindrops. The stalks are attached to rhizomes that grow in the murky depths of lakes. A metaphor for the spirit rising from the body and out of the physical world. The materials Moriyasu uses for the installation reinforce the lotus connection.

Absorbent Ground title comes from the name of the acrylic medium that coats the sculptures. Absorbent ground medium adds a paper-like surface to the otherwise repellant ceramic. Our minds and bodies must be permeable to be alive, learn and grow. Relating the absorption of the rhizomes and worldly attachment, Moriyasu’s drawings take us on a journey.

Shou Sugi Ban title comes from the Japanese method of burning wood to preserve it. By burning the surface of wood, it resists rot and insects. Much like enlightenment is impervious to the cycles of life and suffering. The burnt wood and vitreous porcelain exhibit the beauty of the materials and reflect the idea of a higher consciousness.

Moriyasu states:

Lotus Islands came about as a spontaneous visualization of the artwork I should create for the museum. Like an exercise in automatic* sculpting rather than a preplanned idea. The easy flow channeled from the generations of artists in my family. Parts of the altar are from some of my ancestors’ possessions.**

With my mother’s passing from t-cell lymphoma, I have been revisiting heirlooms and family history. My family line includes a buddhist monk who was a potter, an abstract expressionist painter, Japanese chado (tea ceremony) masters and a 1960s black and white art photographer. Both the painter and photographer used abstracted bodies and I see their artwork daily.

The sculptures allude to bodies, lymph nodes, islands and are laid out like an archipelago. Each sculpture reveals only part of the drawing, referring to perspective of memory. One line or image will continue or change relative to the other drawings. The non-linear stories change depending on where your eyes take you.

Burning comes into play in several ways. Part of my mother’s passing required a Buddhist monk to come to the family altar to send the spirits out. The altar will be burned so it can no longer be used as an object. The altar at MoNA, has a burnt cedar exterior with a white porcelain sculpture inside. Partly burning the wood preserves it; “firing” in a kiln turns soft clay into brilliantly white porcelain. Through heat and fire the materials become more beautiful much like the mortal body releasing to an immortal spirit.

*referring to automatic writing which is said to be produced by a spiritual, occult, or subconscious agency rather than by the conscious intention of the writer

**the thick cedar base, and metal parts from my father, the pink sash, and interior base were from my mother/grandmother

Absorbent Ground, 2019, ceramic, acrylic medium, sumi ink, walnut ink and other inks, video

and

Shou Sugi Ban, 2019, cedar wood, wood, porcelain, acrylic medium, ink and fabric

Lotus Islands creates space for contemplation and is comprised of two sculptural works Absorbent Ground and Shou Sugi Ban.

The image for the artwork is that of a lotus plant. The lotus flower in Buddhism symbolizes enlightenment. The flower blossoms on long stalks with shiny flowers that repel raindrops. The stalks are attached to rhizomes that grow in the murky depths of lakes. A metaphor for the spirit rising from the body and out of the physical world. The materials Moriyasu uses for the installation reinforce the lotus connection.

Absorbent Ground title comes from the name of the acrylic medium that coats the sculptures. Absorbent ground medium adds a paper-like surface to the otherwise repellant ceramic. Our minds and bodies must be permeable to be alive, learn and grow. Relating the absorption of the rhizomes and worldly attachment, Moriyasu’s drawings take us on a journey.

Shou Sugi Ban title comes from the Japanese method of burning wood to preserve it. By burning the surface of wood, it resists rot and insects. Much like enlightenment is impervious to the cycles of life and suffering. The burnt wood and vitreous porcelain exhibit the beauty of the materials and reflect the idea of a higher consciousness.

Moriyasu states:

Lotus Islands came about as a spontaneous visualization of the artwork I should create for the museum. Like an exercise in automatic* sculpting rather than a preplanned idea. The easy flow channeled from the generations of artists in my family. Parts of the altar are from some of my ancestors’ possessions.**

With my mother’s passing from t-cell lymphoma, I have been revisiting heirlooms and family history. My family line includes a buddhist monk who was a potter, an abstract expressionist painter, Japanese chado (tea ceremony) masters and a 1960s black and white art photographer. Both the painter and photographer used abstracted bodies and I see their artwork daily.

The sculptures allude to bodies, lymph nodes, islands and are laid out like an archipelago. Each sculpture reveals only part of the drawing, referring to perspective of memory. One line or image will continue or change relative to the other drawings. The non-linear stories change depending on where your eyes take you.

Burning comes into play in several ways. Part of my mother’s passing required a Buddhist monk to come to the family altar to send the spirits out. The altar will be burned so it can no longer be used as an object. The altar at MoNA, has a burnt cedar exterior with a white porcelain sculpture inside. Partly burning the wood preserves it; “firing” in a kiln turns soft clay into brilliantly white porcelain. Through heat and fire the materials become more beautiful much like the mortal body releasing to an immortal spirit.

*referring to automatic writing which is said to be produced by a spiritual, occult, or subconscious agency rather than by the conscious intention of the writer

**the thick cedar base, and metal parts from my father, the pink sash, and interior base were from my mother/grandmother

Commission piece in the lobby at AC Hotel Bellevue, Washington, Portraits of Ladies and Man Servers, 35 portraits on porcelain, 3 porcelain sculptures, glaze, underglaze, and ribbon, 8’ x 20’ x 4”

208 106th Place NE, Bellevue, Washington

commissionable work

2017, ceramic with glaze (Arleo clay with cone six glaze)

available for purchase

photo credit: Saya Moriyasu

2019, Arleo stoneware, oil paint, walnut ink, sumi ink, Parker quill ink blue-black, 12”x12”x12”

available for purchase

photo credit: Saya Moriyasu

2012, ceramic, glaze, 20" x 11" x 7.5"

available for purchase

photo credit: Saya Moriyasu

505 Union Station Building, Seattle, Washington (between 4th and 5th and Weller)  It’s in the walkway window just past Starbuck’s as you transition from Chinatown/ID to the street across that leads to the trains that take commuters to Everett and Tacoma.

The current political situation is awkward in that it seeps into the work via monkeys and lots of shelves that are not functional. This moment of instability in US politics leads to inspirations from moments in history in France and China. Putting all these elements all together is a visual mash-up that comes from my life in a family mixed both in class and culture.

505 Union Station Building, Seattle, Washington (between 4th and 5th and Weller)  It’s in the walkway window just past Starbuck’s as you transition from Chinatown/ID to the street across that leads to the trains that take commuters to Everett and Tacoma.

The current political situation is awkward in that it seeps into the work via monkeys and lots of shelves that are not functional. This moment of instability in US politics leads to inspirations from moments in history in France and China. Putting all these elements all together is a visual mash-up that comes from my life in a family mixed both in class and culture.

505 Union Station Building, Seattle, Washington (between 4th and 5th and Weller)  It’s in the walkway window just past Starbuck’s as you transition from Chinatown/ID to the street across that leads to the trains that take commuters to Everett and Tacoma.

The current political situation is awkward in that it seeps into the work via monkeys and lots of shelves that are not functional. This moment of instability in US politics leads to inspirations from moments in history in France and China. Putting all these elements all together is a visual mash-up that comes from my life in a family mixed both in class and culture.

2006, shows three oversized non-functional chandelier inspired sculptures (Gallery 4Culture, Seattle, Washington) 

all available for purchase

Exceptional Mountain Views, 2006, 46”x70”x70”, ceramic with glaze, underglaze, and acrylic paint, plywood with stain and urethane, wood with acrylic paint (temple), hardware (front one)

Floating World, 2006, 47”x45”x45”, ceramic with glaze, underglaze and acrylic paint, plywood with stain and urethane, wood with stain (bridges), hardware (middle one)

Pure Land, 2006, 48”x91”x91”, ceramic with gilding, ceramic, plywood with beeswax finish, acrylic paint, wallpaper, glass, hardware (back one) 

I created the chandeliers to fit into the dimensions of the 4Culture Gallery for this installation.  Each chandelier was designed by me and made of plywood. They are oversized and non-functional. They hang down so the viewer can be at the same level as the artwork. 

“Floating Worlds” refers to popular Ukiyoe prints of Japan in the 1800s.  The merchant class attempted to gain social status by commissioning artists to make illustration.  Which is a reference that is personally interesting and perhaps not evident in the work.  Researching and thinking about history is part of my process.

photo credit: Steven Miller

2006, shows three oversized non-functional chandelier inspired sculptures (Gallery 4Culture, Seattle, Washington) 

Exceptional Mountain Views, 2006, 46”x70”x70”, ceramic with glaze, underglaze, and acrylic paint, plywood with stain and urethane, wood with acrylic paint (temple), hardware (front one)

Floating World, 2006, 47”x45”x45”, ceramic with glaze, underglaze and acrylic paint, plywood with stain and urethane, wood with stain (bridges), hardware (middle one)

Pure Land, 2006, 48”x91”x91”, ceramic with gilding, ceramic, plywood with beeswax finish, acrylic paint, wallpaper, glass, hardware (back one)​

I created the chandeliers to fit into the dimensions of the 4Culture Gallery for this installation.  Each chandelier was designed by me and made of plywood. They are oversized and non-functional. They hang down so the viewer can be at the same level as the artwork. 

“Floating Worlds” refers to popular Ukiyoe prints of Japan in the 1800s.  The merchant class attempted to gain social status by commissioning artists to make illustration.  Which is a reference that is personally interesting and perhaps not evident in the work.  Researching and thinking about history is part of my process.

photo credit: Steven Miller

2006, 48”x91”x91”, ceramic with gilding, ceramic, plywood with beeswax finish, acrylic paint, wallpaper, glass, hardware

available for purchase

“Floating Worlds” refers to popular Ukiyoe prints of Japan in the 1800s.  The merchant class attempted to gain social status by commissioning artists to make illustration.  Which is a reference that is personally interesting and perhaps not evident in the work.  Researching and thinking about history is part of my process.

photo credit: Steven Miller

G. Gibson Gallery

2015, Parlor drawing installation

G. Gibson Gallery

2015, Parlor installation

 Priced individually.

Hortus Curiosus, 2014, photo Saya Moriyasu

In collaboration with Maki Tamura

MadCampus a temporary project by MadArtSeattle and University of Washington, available for purchase

Concrete, Metal, Wood, Cotton, Paint

In the Cascara Circle at the Medicinal Herb Garden, Saya and Maki present concrete tree stumps of various sizes, reminiscent of old growth forest that once covered the grounds of the University of Washington. These stumps not only function as tables and benches, but also include several “grafted” branches of live plants.  Echoing the wooden monkey gate on site, colorful fabric panels hang over the visitors’ heads, depicting inquisitive monkeys engaging in gardening and practicing pharmacognosy (the study of medicines derived from natural sources). Along with the petrified stumps, the installation offers a lyrical interpretation of the history of the university and garden.

2012, oil on paper, 70" x 52.5"​

SOIL Gallery exhibition

on hold

Out of the rain and clouds comes exuberant and undecayed life of my garden. My yard is a microcosm of the universe. During the seasons of rain, I find myself looking out the windows at the garden and enjoying how the green trees mound and the cat society inhabits that space. The Siamese cat embodies buddha with the gentle way he governs the yard.

photo credit: Saya Moriyasu

2012, ceramic, glaze, gold luster, wood and metal, 52" x 60" x 34"

SOIL Gallery exhibition

available for purchase

photo credit: Saya Moriyasu

2012, ceramic, glaze, gold luster, wood and metal, 52" x 60" x 34"

SOIL Gallery exhibition

available for purchase

photo credit: Saya Moriyasu

2010, ceramic and glaze, 10” x 20’ x 6”, exhibit at G. Gibson Gallery, Seattle, Washington and Museum of Northwest Art, La Conner, Washington

available for purchase

The generations are made via a process of casting two dog sculptures and two types of shelves in plaster. I use liquid clay (slip) in the mold to copy the original. The result is that the copy of the original shrinks by about 15%. This is how a manually shrunk the original to make a total of 55 dogs and 55 shelves. (Super labor / time intensive) The result is humorous, optical and engaging. There are slight variations in the clay color and shifts in the details in the dogs.

photo: Steven Miller

2010, ceramic and glaze, 10” x 20’ x 6”, exhibit at G. Gibson Gallery, Seattle, Washington and Museum of Northwest Art, La Conner, Washington

available for purchase

The generations are made via a process of casting two dog sculptures and two types of shelves in plaster. I use liquid clay (slip) in the mold to copy the original. The result is that the copy of the original shrinks by about 15%. This is how a manually shrunk the original to make a total of 55 dogs and 55 shelves. (Super labor / time intensive) The result is humorous, optical and engaging. There are slight variations in the clay color and shifts in the details in the dogs.

photo: Steven Miller

2010, ceramic and glaze, 5’x4’x5”, G. Gibson Gallery, Seattle, Washington

available for purchase

This piece is based on Mendel’s (the father of genetics) pea experiment. I did a humorous take on it with glazes competing to be the dominant gene. Growing with brown hair and eyes and a mother with blonde hair and blue eyes, Mendel was the answer that I always asked. “Mother, why didn’t I get your hair color or eye color?” I had fun with the levels and mixing the glazes and seeing the unexpected results and thinking of my own family and our genetics.

available for purchase

photo credit: Steven Miller

ceramic and glaze, 5’x4’x5”, G. Gibson Gallery, Seattle, Washington (detail)

This piece is based on Mendel’s (the father of genetics) pea experiment. I did a humorous take on it with glazes competing to be the dominant gene. Growing with brown hair and eyes and a mother with blonde hair and blue eyes, Mendel was the answer that I always asked. “Mother, why didn’t I get your hair color or eye color?” I had fun with the levels and mixing the glazes and seeing the unexpected results and thinking of my own family and our genetics.

available for purchase

photo credit: Steven Miller

2008, 12" x 14" x 8", ceramic, glaze, acrylic paint and chain

available for purchase ~ J. Rinehart Gallery

photo credit: Saya Moriyasu

2010, ceramic and glaze, 8.5”x8”x8”

available ~ J. Rinehart Gallery

photo credit: Saya Moriyasu

​2005, 36 handmade lamps, ceramic, lamp parts, found and made lampshades, 3 over scale nesting tables made for the piece, 9’x8’x4’

A singular sculpture in the room consisted of 36 handmade lamps.  The initial impression was a mountain of consumer goods glowing in the otherwise unlit gallery.  The oversized stacking tables created for the piece by me, along with a price scroll and a catalog of each of the works.  

This work has a lot to do with value.  A kitschy lamp has little value while a piece of art has high value.  The installation asks, “What if a kitschy lamp is displayed as art?  What is the value then?”

photo credit: Dirk Park

​2005, 36 handmade lamps, ceramic, lamp parts, found and made lampshades, 3 over scale nesting tables made for the piece, 9’x8’x4’

A singular sculpture in the room consisted of 36 handmade lamps.  The initial impression was a mountain of consumer goods glowing in the otherwise unlit gallery.  The oversized stacking tables created for the piece by me, along with a price scroll and a catalog of each of the works.  

This work has a lot to do with value.  A kitschy lamp has little value while a piece of art has high value.  The installation asks, “What if a kitschy lamp is displayed as art?  What is the value then?”

photo credit: Dirk Park

2012, ceramic, glaze, oil paint and stand, 60½” x 12” x 12”

available for purchase

photo credit: Saya Moriyasu

2011, ceramic, glaze, underglaze, acrylic and oil paint, pipe armature, 68” x 24” x 24”

available for purchase

photo credit: Saya Moriyasu

2008, (exhibition size 8' x 6' x 16') SOIL Gallery, ceramic and glaze

shows three pieces, (left to right) 

1.  Girl and Her Pussycat, (set of three orange balconies with woman and cat), 2008, clay, glaze, ribbon and epoxy, sold

2. Corner Couple, 2008, clay, glaze, underglaze and epoxy, 12 ½”x7”x4”, sold

3. Looking for Her Lost Poodle, (set of 7 balconies with two figures) 2008, clay, glaze, epoxy, dimension varies depending on installation

Inspired by antique malls’ unlikely pairings, I create sculptures with Asian maidens and French poodles. The work is also fueled by her interest in chinoiserie, the persistent style that was wholly European with the inspiration entirely oriental and Americana.  The work is a reflection of her own upbringing in a mix of high and low art and culture.  Moriyasu grew up in a home where a Japanese bodhisattva shrine coexisted with croqueted wastebaskets. 

photo credit: Saya Moriyasu

(set of three orange balconies with woman and cat), 2008, clay, glaze, ribbon and epoxy includes: orange cutouts, 9”x3”x1”,  dutch roof cap, 5 ¾”x6”x2 ½”, and  sunset orange balcony,6 ¼”x4”x1 ½”

sold

photo credit: Saya Moriyasu

Gallery4Culture, box set edition, 2006

In collaboration with Dirk Park’s Olivianna Press, this is a box set of prints and a porcelain sculpture inspired by Japanese products that come in wooden boxes. These are the preliminary unique edition, one full set and individual 8”x8” prints are available. The works was inspired by the experience of fine dining and waiters as observers of other people’s lives.

photo credit Steven Miller.

detail

Gallery4Culture, box set edition, 2006

In collaboration with Dirk Park’s Olivianna Press, this is a box set of prints and a porcelain sculpture inspired by Japanese products that come in wooden boxes.  These are the preliminary unique edition, one full set and individual 8”x8” prints are available send me a message..  The works was inspired by the experience of fine dining and waiters as observers of other people’s lives.  

photo credit Steven Miller. 

2017, watercolor, sumi and walnut ink on paper, 14 7/8" x 14 7/8"

sold

2017, watercolor, sumi and walnut ink on paper, 14 7/8" x 14 7/8"

available for purchase

2017, watercolor, sumi and walnut ink on paper, 14 7/8" x 14 7/8"

4Culture portable works collection

2019, ink and watercolor on paper, 30” x 22.5”

available for purchase

2019, ink on paper

sold

2019, oil on paper, 22.5” x 22.5”

available for purchase

2019, ink on paper

available for purchase

2019, ink on paper, 11” x 11”

sold

2019, ink on paper, 11” x 11”

sold

2019, ink on paper, 11” x 11”

sold

2019, ink on paper, 7” x 7”

sold

2019, ink on paper, 8” x 5”

sold

2019, ink and oil on paper, 10” x 5.5”

sold

2019, ink and oil on paper, 10” x 5”

available at J. Rinehart Gallery

2014, 22 1/4" x 22 1/4", oil on paper

available for purchase

photo credit: Saya Moriyasu

2014, 22 1/4" x 22 1/4", oil on paper

available for purchase

photo credit: Saya Moriyasu

2013, 22 1/4" x 22 1/4", oil on paper

ArtsWA - Capitol Childcare Center in Olympia

photo credit: Saya Moriyasu

2013, 22 1/4" x 22 1/4", oil on paper 

Collection of Kent Art Commission

photo credit: Saya Moriyasu

2012, 20" x 20", sumi ink, watercolor, walnut ink on paper

available for purchase

photo credit: Saya Moriyasu

 2012, 20" x 20", sumi ink, watercolor, walnut ink on paper

sold

photo credit: Saya Moriyasu

2012, 7.5" x 7.5", sumi ink on paper

available for purchase

photo credit: Saya Moriyasu

2012, 7.5" x 7.5", sumi ink on paper

available for purchase

photo credit: Saya Moriyasu

2012, 7.5" x 7.5", sumi ink on paper

available for purchase

photo credit: Saya Moriyasu

2012, 7.5" x 7.5", sumi ink on paper

collection of Tim and Sandy Mardsen

photo credit: Saya Moriyasu

2012, 7.5" x 7.5", sumi ink on paper

sold

photo credit: Saya Moriyasu

2012, 7.5" x 7.5", sumi ink on paper

available for purchase

photo credit: Saya Moriyasu

2012, 7.5" x 7.5", sumi ink on paper

available for purchase

photo credit: Saya Moriyasu