Akira Satake
Asheville in Atlanta 2007

MudFire Gallery welcomes back guest curator Kyle Carpenter for our annual exhibit of functional and decorative pottery by North Carolina artists from the Asheville region. This year for "Asheville in Atlanta," Kyle will exhibit his works alongside those of Akira Satake, Emily Reason and William Baker. The artist reception and exhibit opening will be held Saturday, October 20, from 5-9 pm. The exhibit and sale will be on display through November 17, 2007.

About Akira Satake

Akira Satake was born in Osaka, Japan, and graduated from the Osaka School of Visual Arts in 1979. He has been living in the U.S. since 1983 and has won numerous awards for both visual design and music. In New York City he exhibited at The Jane Hartsook Gallery and The Nippon Club. In 2003 he relocated from Brooklyn, NY to Swannanoa, NC, where he built a Japanese Kyushu-style oil- and wood-fired kiln. He is currently a member of the Southern Highland Craft Guild.

"For me, the beauty of functional pottery -- whether a dish, cup, or a vase -- lies in its simplicity, and how eloquently it complements what it contains."

Akira Satake Artist Resume

2007 Home Magazine, April issue feature on Akira Satake Pottery.

2007 New x THREE gallery show at Blue Spiral 1, Asheville, NC.

2006 Instructor, Odyssey Center, Asheville; "Inspired by Nature" summer and fall classes.

2006 "Inspired by Nature" one week workshop, Hambidge Center, Rabun Gap, GA.

2006 Asheville Arts Council Exhibition -- Japanese Arts and Crafts.

2005 Concert and lecture tour in Brazil for the Japan Foundation and the Japanese Consulate of Brazil.

2005/2006 Participating artist, Southern Highland Craft Guild Show, Civic Center, Asheville.

2005/2006 Faculty of Swannanoa Gathering, Warren Wilson College, Swannanoa, NC.

2004 Built Japanese style oil/wood-fired kiln.

2003 Relocated to North Carolina from New York, NY.

2001 - 2006 Participating artist, Annual Lincoln Center Arts and Crafts Festival, NYC.

2002 - 2003 Lincoln Center "Fire on the Mountain" series of 60 concerts, NYC.

2002 "Carnegie Kids" series of 10 concerts, NYC.

2002 Carnegie Hall, Yo Yo Ma's Silk Road concert series, NYC.

1999 - 2003 Carnegie Hall "Neighborhood Concerts" series of 70 concerts, NYC.

2000 Produced Tim O'Brien recording "The Crossing" for Alula Records, NYC. Winner Indie Award for Best Contemporary Folk Music.

1999 Indie Award winner for Best Package Design for Kepa Junkera, Alula Records.

1998 Indie Award winner for Best Cover Design for "Voices" on Alula Records.

1998 German Critics' Award winner for Best World Music Recording for solo CD, "Cooler Heads Prevail." 1998 Featured artist at the Rudolstadt Music Festival in East Germany.

1997 - 2001 Owner and founder of Alula Records, NYC.

1989 - 1999 Owner of Damfino Productions, NYC.

1991 Faculty, Tennessee Banjo Institute.

1981 - 1982 Photographer for Saga Musical Instruments, San Francisco, CA.

1979 - 1981 Photographer for Studio Yamagishi, Osaka, Japan.

1977 - 1979 Attended Osaka School of Visual Arts, Osaka, Japan.