BIography
As an artist who lives with bipolar disorder, Kazuki Takizawa uses glass as a means to explore his inner reality and destigmatize mental illness. With an aim to give the invisible shape, Takizawa crafts elaborate vessels and installations, each with a unique story. Universally rooted in a dialogue around mental health, his series examines broad themes such as attaining minimalism among chaos as well as his personal narratives around the topic of living with Bipolar Disorder and suicide prevention. Takizawa has traveled to numerous communities in and outside the US to share his work and act as an advocate for mental illness. His practice offers an uncommon and inclusive space to increase awareness and start a conversation.
Takizawa is a Japanese glass artist based in Los Angeles, California. He graduated from the University of Hawaii at Manoa with a BFA in glass art in 2010 and currently owns and runs KT Glassworks, LLC in the historic West Adams neighborhood of Los Angeles.
Recent Solo Exhibitions
2024 Minimalists 2024, Duncan McClellan Gallery, St. Petersburg, FL
2021 Tomoshibi: Glass Works by Kazuki Takizawa, Craft Contemporary Museum, Los Angeles, CA
Residency Exhibition, Barrio Glassworks, Carlsbad, CA
2019 Infinite Spectrum, River House Arts, Toledo, OH
2018 Minimalists, Duncan McClellan Gallery, St. Petersburg, FL
Inner Beings, The Works, Newark, OH
2017 Catharsis Contained, Craft in America Center, Beverly Hills, CA
Luminous Vessels, Westfield Valencia Town Center Art Space, CA
Recent Group Exhibitions
2024 The Optics of Now: SoCal Glass, Curated by Emily Zaiden, Palos Verdes Art Center, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA
2023 FireFest Visiting Artist Exhibition, STARworks NC, Star, NC
2022 Myūto, Two-Person Exhibition with Aya Oki, Trifecta Design Studio, Lexington, KY
Instill, Horn Gallery at Penland School of Crafts,
2019 Murano Mosaics – Persistence and Evolution, Four-Person Exhibit with Lino Tagliapietra, Giles Bettison, and Clair Belfrage, curated by Tansey Contemporary and exhibited at Ann Norton Sculpture Garden, West Palm Beach, FL
Glass, Four-Person Exhibit with Kathrine Gray, Susan Stinsmuehlen-Amend and Joe Cariati, VITA Art Center, Ventura, CA
2018 Shines Through, Huntington Beach Art Center, Huntington Beach, CA
4x3 Contemporary Ceramics and Glass, Betsy Lueke Creative Art Center, Burbank, CA
2017 Momentum, The Arts Commission, Toledo, OH
Workhouse Glass National 2017, Vulcan Gallery, Lorton, VA
4th Clay & Glass Biennial, Brea Gallery, Brea, CA
Juncture, STARworks Glass Lab, Star, NC
Artist LEctures and Public Speaking
2024 Duncan McClellan Gallery, St. Petersburg, FL
2023 Pilchuck Glass School, Stanwood, WA
STARworks NC, Star NC
2022 Penland School of Crafts, Penland, NC
2021 Japan Foundation, Los Angeles, CA
Crafts Council, London, UK
2020 Duncan McClellan Gallery, St. Petersburg, FL
2018 Southern District Buddhist Conference, Los Angeles, CA
Pittsburgh Glass Center, Pittsburgh, PA
Urban Glass, Brooklyn, NY
Museum of Fine Arts, St. Petersburg, FL
Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH
The Works, Newark, OH
2017 Tokyo Glass Art Institute, Tokyo, Japan
University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
Nibei Foundation, Los Angeles, CA
Santa Monica College, Santa Monica, CA
Salem State University, Salem, MA
Heart of Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
Craft in America Center, Beverly Hills, CA
Fairfax High School, Los Angeles, CA
Van Nuys High School, Van Nuys, CA
Sandhills Community College, Pinehurst, NC
STARworks Glass Lab, Star, NC
2016 University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
2015 Columbus College of Art and Design, Columbus, OH
STARworks Glass Lab, Star, NC
Palomar College, San Marcos, CA
Professional Experience
2023 Visiting Artist at STARworks NC, Star, NC
Craft Person in Residence at Pilchuck Glass School, Stanwood, WA
2021 Visiting Artist during Jaime Randall's Residency at Tacoma Museum of Glass, Tacoma, WA
Artist in Residence at Barrio Glassworks, Carlsbad, CA
2019 Demonstrating Artist during Glass Arts Society Conference, St. Petersburg, FL
Gaffer/ Craft Person in Residence at Pilchuck Glass School, Stanwood, WA
2018 Artist in Residence at The Works, Newark, OH
Visiting Artist at Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH
2017 Demonstrating Artist at Tokyo Glass Art Institute, Tokyo, Japan
Artist in Residence at Salem State University, Salem, MA
Artist in Residence at STARworks Glass Lab, Star, NC
Suicide Prevention Lifeline Counselor at Didi Hirsch Mental Health, Los Angeles, CA
2015 Visiting Artist at Columbus College of Art and Design, Columbus, OH
Visiting Artist at Palomar College, San Marcos, CA
Teaching Experience / Workshops
2022 Penland School of Craft, Penland, NC
Appalachian Center for Craft, Smithville, TN
2020 Pilchuck Glass School, Stanwood, WA
2018 Urban Glass, Brooklyn, NY
Pittsburgh Glass Center, Pittsburgh, PA
The Works, Newark, OH
2017 First City Art Center, Pensacola, FL
2015 Pilchuck Glass School, Stanwood, WA
Recent Press:
2023 NBC CA, "Meet the Glassblowing Genius Using Art as a Form of Therapy" reported by Angela Sun, October 4th, 2023
KTLA (LA UnScripted), Dayna Devon Tries Glassblowing at KT Glassworks” reported by Dayna Devon, May 1st 2023
2021 Spectrum News 1, “Kazuki Takizawa’s Solo Exhibition at Craft Contemporary Finds Beauty and Hope in Glass” reported by Kristopher Gee, August 16th, 2021
2020 Crafts Magazine, “Under the Skin” Published May/June 2021
2019 Glass Art Magazine, “Meditating Mental Health through Blown Glass” Written by Colleen Bryan, March/April 2019, Volume 34
BG Independent News, “Kazuki Takizawa’s Glass Breaks the Silence Surrounding Mental Illness”, Written by David Dupont, March 17th, 2019
The Blade, “Japanese Glass Artist Opens First Show in Toledo” written by Phillip L. Kaplan, March 13th, 2019
Spectrum News 1, “LA Artist Uses Glassblowing to Spread Mental Health Awareness” Published and reported by Alberto Garcia, June 10th, 2019
Palm Beach Daily News, "Sculpture Garden Blazes with Colorful Glass Pieces" Written by Jan Sjostrom, Jan 3rd, 2019
2018 American Craft Magazine, “The Business of Being an Artist”, published by American Craft Council, Feb/March 2018
Los Angeles Times, “Glass Work ‘Shines Through’ at H.B. Art Center” Written by Shannon M. Hoffman, Oct 01, 2018
IVY Magazine, "The Arts and Mental Health - An Interview with Artist Kazuki Takizawa" Nov 14, 2018
Burbank Arts, Newsletter September 12 - September 16, 2018
Newark Advocate Newspaper, “Sitler: Kazuki Takizawa’s artistry takes aim at suicide”, May 19th, 2018
2017 NBC Asian America, “How Working with Glass Helped Artist Kazuki Takizawa Open Up About Mental Health”, Oct 12, 2017, written by Monica Luhar
New Glass Review 38, published by Corning Museum of Glass