Bio
Hiromi Takizawa was born and raised in Nagano, Japan, and now lives in southern California. Curiosity, experimentation, narrative, and materiality encapsulate her artistic practice. Hiromi received an M.F.A. in Craft and Material Studies from Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, VA, and an M.A. in Glass from California State University, Fullerton. She has exhibited nationally and internationally, including solo exhibitions at Heller Gallery and Urban Glass in New York, and the Orange County Museum of Art, CA. Her group exhibitions include the Museum of American Glass in New Jersey, the Huston Center of Contemporary Craft in Texas, and S12 Gallery in Norway. Hiromi was named the youngest artist among the top fifty artists featured in Urban Glass Quarterly's 50 at 50. Hiromi has completed public art outdoor projects in Pasadena, CA, Santa Ana, CA, including works in the permanent art collections of the cities of Tustin, CA, and Santa Clarita, CA.
Hiromi is an Associate Professor of Glass at California State University, Fullerton, and has served as a faculty member specializing in glass at Saddleback College in South Orange County, CA, California State University, San Bernardino, and Alfred University, NY. She has also taught workshops at Haystack Mountain School of Crafts in Deer Isle, ME, Pilchuck Glass School in Stanwood, WA, and the Toyama Glass Institute in Japan.
Artist Statement
My current creative research and practice are deeply rooted in nature. I strive to integrate the wonders, discoveries, and natural phenomena that captivate me into my studio practice, transforming these elements into creations that are imaginary, unseen, strange, yet familiar. The intrinsic properties of glass, such as transparency, reflection, refraction, and optical qualities, serve as primary material to highlight my narrative. The materiality of glass is essential to my artwork.
Having grown up in the Japanese Alps and now residing in Southern California, these contrasting landscapes have profoundly shaped my environmental sensibilities. From experiencing the light seeping through the leaves in a Japanese forest to witnessing the serene and nourishing colors of the sky as the sun sets over the Pacific Ocean, has profoundly influenced my imagination and artistic output. These sensory experiences – the sounds, smells, textures, and colors – are the wellsprings of my creativity. I closely observe both the micro and macro dimensions of nature, from minute plant organisms to the expansive hues of the sky, cultivating a profound appreciation for the natural world.