Suzye Ogawa

I have been combining traditional metal and basketry techniques for over 30 years. I am primarily self-taught in lost wax, metal, jewelry and basketry techniques. The melding of hard and soft materials and my Japanese American heritage now challenges, dominates and drives my creative spirit.

All work is one of a kind and represents a sampling of vessels, sculpture and jewelry. Each piece is created individually and there are variations of some styles.

For as long as I can remember I have been driven to create. I spent long hours watching my father in his dental laboratory turn wax into dentures as well as create jewelry for my mother, my sister and myself. I watched my mother cook, sew, knit and needlepoint. While being exposed to a rich cultural environment spending long hours in Los Angeles Little Tokyo and surrounding areas my creativity was unfocused and I was interested in everything. Since I was not driven to a specific artistic focus my parents insisted I have a career that could support me. I became a speech pathologist and enjoyed a long and wonderful career in public schools. While working I continued to create and explore. I had always been interested in baskets and took a basic pine needle basketry class. In that first class it was immediately clear to me that I wanted to combine my metal and casting background with natural basketry techniques. As I learned more basic basketry techniques I became driven to combine materials and realized that these combinations would become the focus of my creativity.

My work is small and I hope invites each viewer into taking the time to step closer and share in my world.

To see a comprehensive group of work visit me at one of the art shows where I exhibit.