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About Parents/ Leslie Ceramics

Education Technique Career Gallery Exhibitions Solo Exhibitions commissions Books Awards References External Links Categories

About
John Toki is a Japanese-American ceramic artist born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area. Toki is a highly regarded ceramic sculptor and former owner of Leslie Ceramics Supply. His artwork is influenced greatly by California’s natural landscapes. His sculptures have shown in renowned galleries, solo exhibitions, and group exhibitions since 1979. Toki has built a career as a teacher, author, engineer, and has partnered and worked with many organizations in the bay area and statewide.

Leslie Ceramics
While building a studio at the age of 20, John Toki worked at Leslie Ceramic Supply Company, which was founded in 1946 by his parents Rayer and Leslie Toki. After years of helping his parents run the business Toki was given the company. Using all that he had learned through studies under many of his parents professionally practicing artist friends. He was able to run the store without too much background in business. His parents surrounded him with artist friends like Jim Melchert, Peter Voulkos, and Ron Nagle, providing John a lot of great mentors. The importance of running the ceramic business was knowing everything about ceramics. The entire Toki family, which also includes sister Ellengale and John’s twin brother,Walter, became known as experts in the field of clay. His mother was a painter and sculpture, and his father was a ceramists, community teacher, and entrepreneur.

Education : Toki received BFA from California State University, in Hayward, CA and a MFA from the California College of the arts, in Oakland CA. Witth rj He studied under many h like Peter Voulkos, Stephan De Staebler, Ernie Kim at the Richmond Art Center,  and Clayton Bailey at California university of Hayward. Providing John a lot of great mentors. His time at CCAC allowed him to partner with Herbe Greene and commission.

Technique

It is Characteristic for John Toki to use tons of clay to build a piece. eHis sculptural surfaces, which he builds in layers face-down on the floor, are punctuated with colored porcelain trails amidst rich earth-tone striations. This sculptural approach partially developed from on integration of western and Eastern ceramic traditions, originating with his family who savored their rich Japanese heritage, especially through the art of Calligraphy and the study of Japanese ceramics. Toki was greatly influenced by  Stephan De Staebler whom he studied under for many years.

Career Toki’s success not only derives from his clay sculptures, he has dedicated time in creating his studio located in Richmond, California, since 1974. Owned since the age of 20, his studio consists of tools and technology hand crafted by himself. Two industrial cranes in order to lift his large sculptures, electric kilns with new technology designed and engineered by Toki, and a glaze studio filled with glaze created by Toki and his partner and friend Laguna Clay. Whilst pursing his sculpture practice he also taught in the ceramics department of at California College of the Arts and Crafts (CCAC) from 1995 to 2007. Working alongside artist like Viola Frey and Arthur Gonzales Heidi Ernt, and Lisa Clague. Numerous sculptures and projects reside at the studio for viewing as he continues to create work through commissions today. A professional turning point was his 1992 residency at the European Ceramic Work center in the Netherlands as well as his residency at the John Michael Kohler Arts Center Industry Program, in 1982. He is currently committed to create works for Oakland City Hall, Magganas Project in Oakland, Ted & Linda Urban, and Herbe Greene. He also continues to provide lessons at Mission Clay in Arizona. Going forward in his career John Toki plans to continue to help his community and friends with works and commissions, maintain his studio and provide a space where he can mentor aspiring students.

Exhibitions Exhibitions 2009 “Landscape Abstractions,” Sculpturesite Gallery, San Francisco, CA 2009 Pipe Sculptures: Mission clay @ Building Products, Phoenix, AZ 2007 “John Toki: Abstracts and Landscapes,” Art Foundry Gallery, Sacramento, CA 2006 “CCA Ceramics 1950-2005,” Stephen Oliver Art Center, California College of the Arts, Oakland, CA 2005 “Tiles to Totems,” Group exhibition curated by Nancy Servis, Art Foundry Gallery, Sacramento, CA 2005 “Blue Back,” installation of outdoor work for the Oakland Museum of California, Oakland, CA 2000 “Artists to Authors,” Pence Gallery, Davis, CA 1997 “30th Anniversary Invitational Exhibition,” Berkeley Art Center, Berkeley, CA 1995 “Abstraction Exhibition: Sculpture and Paintings with Mary Lovelace O’Neal,” Berkeley Art Center, Berkeley, CA 1995 “Blue Currents,” Commissioned by the Cultural Arts Division of the City of Oakland, Oakland City Hall, Oakland, CA 1994 “O,” installation of outdoor work for the Oakland Museum of California, Oakland, CA 1993 Udinotti Gallery, San Francisco, CA 1990 “Public Art,” San Francisco State University Art Gallery, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 1990 “Artists of Contra Costa County, Hearst Gallery, Moraga, CA 1989 “Group Exhibition,” Gallery De Keerder Kunstkamer, Cadier En Keer, Netherlands 1985 “Latham Square Architectural Competition Exhibition,” Oakland, CA 1982 “California College of the Arts and Crafts 75th Anniversary Exhibit,” Richmond Art Center, Richmond, CA 1982 “29th Annual Sculpture Exhibition, Richmond Art Center, Richmond, CA 1979 “Pieces of Eight,” John Michael Kohler Arts Center, Kohler, WI

Solo Exhibitions

2008 Solo exhibition, Sanchez Art Center, Pacifica, CA 2006 “Solo Exhibition,” Art Foundry Gallery, Sacramento, CA 1995 “Solo Exhibition,” Pence Gallery, Davis, CA 1979 “Solo Exhibition,” Richmond Art Center, Richmond, CA

2006 “Toki & Gudjonsdottir,” Sculpturesite Gallery, San Francisco, CA 2001 “John Toki & Daniela Pulido,” Davis Art Center, Davis, CA 1999 “John Toki & Larry Stefl,” Washington Square Gallery, San Francisco, CA 1988 “John Toki & Bella Feldman,” Gallery Route One, Pt. Reyes Station, CA

Commissions

2004 “City of Richmond Public Commission,” Mira Vista Park, Richmond, CA 2003 “’s-Hertogenbosch,” Commission and installation of work for City of Berkeley Art Commission, Berkeley, CA 1992 Commission for Barnett Residence, Pt. Richmond, CA 1986 “Tetsudau,” commission for Eden Issei Terrace, Hayward, CA 1986 Public Commission through Bay Area Partnership, Franklin Plaza, Oakland, CA 1985 “Celebration of Sculpture,” San Francisco Arts Commission, San Francisco, CA 1983 “Black Tide,” Commissioned by the Sacramento Metropolitan Arts Commission, Sacramento, CA

Books

Speight, Charlotte F., and John Toki. 2004. Hands in clay. Boston: McGraw-Hill.

Speight, Charlotte F., and John Toki. 2004. Expertise: a technical guide to ceramics. Boston, Mass: McGraw-Hill.

Hands in clay was written and edited by John Toki with the partnership of Charlotte Speight. With carful consideration Toki created a book of insightful documentation for works in clay. Within the chapters holds lessons and references many multi cultural artist in the bay area who Toki worked for and who had become his pupils.

Awards

2007 Invited Residency (with Stephen De Stabler,) Watershed School of the Ceramic Arts, N. Edgecomb, ME 2004 Residency, Watershed School of the Ceramic Arts, N. Edgecomb, ME Ruth Chenven Sculpture Grant, New York, NY Residency, European Ceramics Work Center, ’s-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands Residency, John Michael Kohler Arts Center, Kohler, WI Awarded Sculpture Installation for San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA “Key to the City for Major Contribution fo the Arts,” City of Hayward, Hayward, CA “Orchids Award,” honorable mention for Franklin Plaza Design, Oakland, C

References

Website:

http://www.leslieceramicandcraftssupply.com/about-us.html https://natsoulas.com/event/john-toki

Article:

Servis, Nancy M. "John Toki." Ceramics Monthly 46, no. 8 (October 1998): 35-38. Art & Architecture Source, EBSCOhost (accessed October 2, 2017).

Dauer, Paul F. "More than clay: the Toki collection." Ceramics Monthly 47, no. 2 (February 1999): 39-41. Art & Architecture Source, EBSCOhost (accessed October 2, 2017).

Bradford, Kelvin. "Shell fuming variations." Ceramics Monthly 48, no. 9 (November 2000): 60-65. Art & Architecture Source, EBSCOhost (accessed October 2, 2017).

Books:

Troy, Jack. 1995. Wood-fired stoneware and porcelain. Radnor, Pa: Chilton.

Beveridge, Philippa. 2005. Warm glass: a complete guide to kiln-forming techniques : fusing, slumping, casting. New York: Lark Books.

(john took studio tour brochure http://www.servisarts.com/uploads/5/0/5/0/50500631/ Speight, Charlotte F., and John Toki. 2004. Hands in clay. Boston: McGraw-Hill.

Speight, Charlotte F., and John Toki. 2004. Expertise: a technical guide to ceramics. Boston, Mass: McGraw-Hill.