Koyama Atsuko 小山厚子 b. 1979
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Koyama Atsuko (b. 1979) is a celebrated ceramicist working in Bizen pottery. Born into a distinguished ceramic family, she studied under her father, Koyama Suehiro 小山 末廣 (b. 1948). She continues to work alongside him in Bizen, Okayama Prefecture. While she has inherited the powerful kiln effects characteristic of traditional Bizen pottery—such as yōhen (natural kiln transformations) and hidasuki (scarlet fire markings)—Koyama has also developed a highly individual style distinguished by using painterly surfaces and unexpected combinations, incorporating finishes rarely used on traditional Bizen clay, including Oribe, Karatsu, ash glazes, and vividly pigmented polychrome surfaces.
Unrestrained in her approach to glazing, Koyama pairs each surface treatment with forms that are energetic and surprising, creating works that simultaneously honor and challenge ceramic tradition. The result is a body of work that approaches Bizen with a playful and contemporary twist while remaining rooted in the firing traditions of the region. Koyama’s oeuvre comprises mostly functional pieces, with vessels for daily use as well as larger platters, flower vases, figurines and jars for display and floral arrangements. This combination of technical mastery and personal expression has established her as a ceramic artist whose work and style cannot easily be imitated.