dents of many different nationalities. It helped me.” From

dents of many different nationalities. It helped me.”

From there, she went on to a class at Wakefield Cultural Center.

“I wanted to see the difference in teachers and styles of work. This was an early period for me in my work. Later I built groups of pottery and began studying in a different way. I also began to get involved in workshops and that kind of thing,” she said.

Her designs evolved into pieces that are decorative and functional at the same time.

She works in porcelain and stone ware, making pieces which require a higher firing temperature. She also does some raku.

Her pieces show the influence of Japanese designs, animal shapes and southwestern motifs.

“I love the southwest and the designs of the Native Americans, especially the Minbres (a tribe which no longer exists). Their designs inspired the ideas for the pieces I do.”

She also loves the bird designs in Japanese pottery and has developed her own designs based on those. The animal designs are curved, sculptured or stenciled on to the pots. Noriko uses a variety of techniques to attach or build designs onto the pots.

“The Japanese designs are very subtle, and for this show I’m using shapes and forms that are very traditional in Japanese pottery — vases with a sense of scenery, tied boxes and bowls, platters and cups.”

“The Minbres designs also incorporate some animal designs,” she said. “First I sculpt the design and then attach it to the pot. Those pots also have other Native American designs on them. When I plan to do work on a certain theme, first I go there and make sketches of the designs. Then I come back and work,” she said.

Many of her animal designs are also of birds, “I love birds and their forms.”

She also creates fantastic designs mixing animal and human characteristics together in one design.

“I like teapots with imaginative creatures and human features combined and die teapots are for me a centerpiece. They have interactive