"Renmei" by SUGIURA NORIYOSHI (b. 1964)

Sendai-born Sugiura Noriyoshi was 33 when he decided to train in the bamboo arts and moved to Beppu in Kyushu. In 1997 & 1998 he studied at the Oita Prefectural Beppu Technical College (Ōita kenritsu Beppu kōtō gijutsu senmonkō) and the Beppu Industrial Art Crafts Institute (Beppu sangyō kōgei shaken jo) which are unified today as the Oita Prefectural Bamboo Arts Crafts Training Support Center (Ōitaken chikukōgei kunren shien sentaa). He latter apprenticed under Watanabe Chikusei II (b.1932) and Okazaki Chikuhōsai II (b. 1933). During the 2008 Oita National Sports Festival, a flower basket by Sugiura Noriyoshi was presented to the Emperor of Japan. He works in Beppu City, Oita, Kyushu Island, Japan.

Exhibitions and Prizes

• 2004, Admitted to 51st Japan Traditional Craft Arts Exhibition
• 2004, Received Oita Mayor’s award at Oita Bamboo Art exhibition for the functional objects
• 2007, Winner of OAB Prize to 42nd Japan Traditional Craft Arts Exhibition, Western Division
• 2007, Admitted to 54th Japan Traditional Craft Arts Exhibition
• 2007, Received Oita Mayor’s award at Oita Bamboo Art exhibition for the functional objects
• 2007, Solo exhibition at Gallery Otsu, Sapporo
• 2008, Gifted a flower basket to the Emperor of Japan
• 2009, Winner of Oita Governor’s Prize at Oita Bamboo Art exhibition
• 2010, SOFA New York
• 2010, SOFA West: Santa Fe, New Mexico
• 2010, SOFA Chicago
• 2010, Art Miami
• 2011, SOFA New York
• 2011, Dallas Art Fair
• 2011, Art Chicago
• 2011, Art Antiques London
• 2011, Houston Art Fair
• 2011, Int’l. Fine Art and Antique Dealers Show, New York
• 2011, SOFA Chicago
• 2013, Oita’s Art Movement, in partnership with the Oita Prefectural Government, a museum-show
• 2014, Group show, Japanese American Cultural Community Center, Los Angeles