Keiichi Shimizu is a fourth generation ceramist from Tanba Tachikui, the historic center of Tanba pottery in Japan, and home to the oldest existing noborigama (17th century chambered climbing kiln) in the country. Steeped in an environment of tradition, elements of Shimizu’s work show a marked departure. Using only native clays to the Tanba region, Shimizu chooses to slab-build his pieces rather than wheel-thrown, creating minimalist planar forms, relying on the color and texture of the clay to convey dimensionality.