Notomi Susumu – Blue in Nature: Ao-Hagi Pottery

Hagi-yaki is a traditional Japanese pottery and originates from the city of Hagi in Yamaguchi prefecture. One of the charms of Hagi-yaki is its fine cracks like lace in the glaze that take on different characters with age and use, resulting in the “seven changes of Hagi” that inspire craftsmen. Captivated by the beauty of blue that emerges from the high kiln temperature, Susumu Notomi, the inventor of the blue Hagi-yaki, has been experimenting to capture various shades of blue, such as of the sky, the ocean, and the outer space. Notomi creates rich gradation from deep blue like indigo to pale blue like the white waves of the sea.

We hope you would enjoy the wonderful world of blue Hagi-yaki.

Susumu Notomi

Susumu Notomi is a member of the Japan Crafts Association, a board member of the Hagi Ceramists Association and a member of Yamaguchi branch of Japan Crafts Association.  Notomi has given numerous solo exhibitions in the most prestigious venues throughout Japan such as Mitsukoshi Tokyo headquarters, Maruzen in Ginza, Isetan in Osaka among others. Recently, Notomi has been collaborating with Japanese fashion designer Hiroko Koshino, presenting duo exhibitions entitled “HAJIMARI no AO” in KH Gallery in 2016 and “THE BLUE – A second encounter” in KH Gallery in 2017.