Tatsuzo Shimaoka
Born in Tokyo in 1919. Graduated from the Department of Ceramics at the Tokyo Institute of Technology in 1941. Studied under Hamada Shoji in 1946. Worked at the Tochigi Prefecture Ceramics Training Center from 1950 to 1953. Built a house and kiln in Mashiko and became independent in 1953. Started using Jomon inlay techniques around 1960. Received the Japan Folk Crafts Museum Award at the Japan Folk Crafts Museum New Works Exhibition in 1962. Invited to exhibit at the "Contemporary Ceramics - Europe and Japan" exhibition sponsored by the National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto in 1970. Became a member of the Kokugakai Crafts Division in 1978 (withdrew in 1991). Received the Tochigi Prefecture Cultural Merit Award in 1980. Toured Canada for lectures at the request of the Japan Foundation in 1982, held solo exhibitions at five locations. Invited to exhibit at the "Ceramic Artists Who Built Mashiko" exhibition at the Tochigi Prefectural Museum of Art in 1989. Received the Japan Ceramic Association Gold Award in 1994. In 1996, he was recognized as a holder of the Important Intangible Cultural Property (Living National Treasure) of "Folk Craft Pottery (Jomon Inlay)."
