TSUJI Ichido
(1911~1983)
Founder of Sohyoh Kiln / Born in Tara-cho, Saga Prefecture, Japan.
Recognized for his talent for painting, he joined the Design Department of KORANSHA, a famous porcelain company in Arita town. After founding Sohyoh Kiln in 1954, he produced many overglazed decorative plates and vases. His representative works include chintz patterns, Warabi, and decorative plates depicting Hiroshige Ando's ukiyoe “Fifty-three Stations of the Tokaido” (in the collection of SHIDA THOJIKI Inc.). He was selected 15 times to exhibit in The Japan Fine Arts Exhibition ( Nitten (Nihon bijutsu tenrankai)).
1911 Born in Tara-cho, Saga Prefecture on September 1 (real name: Sadao)
1932 Joined the Design Department of the Art Workshop of KORANSHA (Arita Town)
1949 Returned from the Tainan Naval Air Force (now in Taiwan) and became the head of the Art Department of Koransha
1954 Became independent, established his own studio (now Sohyoh Kiln), and began making ceramics (under the artist name ‘Ichido’)
1955 Produced decorative plates, of ukiyoe scenes of “The Fifty-three Stations of the Tokaido” and “The Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji”, etc
1956 Selected for the first time for a hexagonal vase with a brocade chintz pattern at the Japan Fine Arts Exhibition (Nitten) (selected 15 times in total)
1958 Grand Prize at the Nishimatsuura County Ceramics Exhibition (now the Kyushu-Yamaguchi Ceramic Exhibition, Kyushu Yamaguchi Touji Ten)
1960 Grand Prize, West Japan Ceramic Art Exhibition (Nishi Nihon Tougei Ten)
1963 Honorable Mention, Japan Modern Crafts Exhibition (Nihon Gendai Kougei Bijutsu Ten), for "Some Nishiki Warabi Chamotori Vase" (selected 8 times in total)
1965 Renamed his studio from "Shinko Ko-Imari Kenkyujo" and named it "Sohyoh Kiln".
1968: A member of the jury of the Kyushu Modern Craft Exhibition (Kyushu Gendai Kougei Ten) (~1970)
1970 Arita Town Industrial and Cultural Achievement Award
1973 Nominated as a member of Japan Fine Arts Exhibition (Nitten)
1978 Joined and became a member of the Japan New Craftsmen's Association when it was established
1983 Died on June 27th (age 71)
His works were exhibited posthumously at the Japan New Crafts Exhibition (Nihon Shin Kougei Ten) Saga Prefectural Exhibition, etc.
2005 22 years after his death, a retrospective exhibition of works by TSUJI Ichido and TSUJI Takehiko was held at the Kyushu Ceramic Museum in Saga Prefecture.