Gerd knapper biography of michael

 Born in Wuppertal, Germany. Study & work tour through European countries including Skandinavia, Middle East, India, Canary Islands and West-indian islands. Worked in Alaska as a commercial artist in a Native Indian's crafts workshop after working as an assistant to a sculptor in New York, before visiting Japan for first time.

Introduced to Master Mr Seisei Suzuki, under whom he trained for 1 year, by Mr Tokuro Katou.

Gerd knapper biography of michael

He then returned to Germany. During his visit in Japan he visited the 'Living National Treasure' Mr Shoji Hamada, in Mashiko, Tochigi-prefecture. After half a year ceramic training in Germany he visited Mr Bernard Leach in , England.

Mr Leach introduced Mr Tatsuzo Shimaoka (later awarded the status of 'Living National Treasure') who is a student of Mr Hamada to him. He then returned to Japan, met Mr Shimaoka who introduced him to the Tsukamoto Pottery where he undertook training of Mashiko-yaki.

He then established his own kiln - the first