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Tamae Frame

The Arts Center Exhibit(s):

• '9th Around Oregon Annual Exhibition,' October, 2011

Statement:

I use the female body as a vehicle to convey the inner dimensions of our psyche. I see the sacredness in its curvy lines and voluptuous body, and it is my attempt at expressing the female spirituality and her life force in the world. I am not interested in the accurate depiction of the human anatomy, but instead I show meaning and emotion in the subject by twisting, bending, or exaggerating the posture. Most of my sculptures have peaceful and gentle facial expressions even though their bodies sometimes may suggest struggle or tension -- implying that pain and suffering can’t take away grace. I like to create figurative sculptures using mid-range firing clay, and all of my pieces are fired in my electric kiln at temperatures over 2000 degrees Fahrenheit. The most unpredictable and exciting part of the process is the glaze firing. My combination of the choice of clay and glazes determines the outcome, so I test how a particular clay and glaze combination will work before applying the glaze to the sculpted bisque fired piece. Even if the test result was satisfactory, the final fired pieces coming out of the kiln isn’t always what I may have predicted. When I open the lid of my kiln I have mixed feelings of both anxiety and excitement, hoping that my sculpture had survived the extreme temperatures. Most often the result exceeds my expectations and my pieces are transformed into objects with a life of their own.  

Biography:

Born and raised in Japan, Tamae was a fashion jewelry designer in Tokyo until immigrating to the U.S. in 1992. After attending the metalsmithing workshop in Penland School in North Carolina, she began working as a full---time studio jewelry artist and focused on producing one-of-a-kind jewelry. She exhibited in numerous invitational and juried gallery exhibitions and has had work sold in a number of galleries in the U.S. She also participated in national juried shows such as The American Craft Show, as well as regional juried art fairs. She has received awards for Best Artist in the jewelry category on many different occasions. Her experience in creating art jewelry increased over the years, and she began making figurative jewelry but eventually, she felt the strong need to create figurative objects that weren’t confined to just personal adornment. In 2004 she learned to sculpt in clay at the local college and realized that clay was the best material in which to express her inner feelings. She has never looked back since. Tamae’s figurative sculptures have been in both invitational gallery shows and regional juried exhibitions. She continues to enjoy her journey as an artist and looks forward to each new opportunity to share her work with the world.

Visit Tamae Frame's website.