Emi Ozawa

Biography

Emi Ozawa  strategically arranges color and form to create compositions that play with optics and perception.  In Ozawa’s recent work, she explores the concentric shape of circles. She is fascinated by the geometric perfection of circles because all sides are equal distance from the center. The circles at play in her compositions dictate the shape of the panel and together create a new shape. 

Originally from Tokyo, Ozawa currently lives and works in Albuquerque. She studied woodworking at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia and later earned an MFA in furniture design from the Rhode Island School of Design. Ozawa’s work is in the Albuquerque Museum, the New Mexico State Art Collection, the City of Albuquerque Public Art Collection, and the Fidelity Collection among others. Ozawa is a former Alcoves artist at the New Mexico Museum of Art.

“The Circle”, true perfection, the energy that is created from equal distancing from a center, the nature of continuity, the moon in the sky… all of this amazes me. Perhaps I paint constellations.
-Emi Ozawa

Education
1992
Rhode Island School of Design, Furniture Design, M.F.A., Providence, RI

1989
The University of the Art, Craft/wood B.F.A., Philadelphia, PA

1987
Tokyo School of Art, Tokyo, Japan

1983
Joshibi University of Art and Design, Graphic Design, A.A. and Post-Graduate Course, Tokyo, Japan

Exhibitions
2024
four by four , Richard Levy Gallery, Albuquerque, NM

2023
New Artists & Summer Selections, Beth Urdang Gallery, Wellesley, MA

2022
BLUE DANGO: points of view, Richard Levy Gallery, Albuquerque, NM
EN, Micheko Galerie, Munich, Germany

2021
Made in ABQ, Richard Levy Gallery, Albuquerque, NM

2020
Play, Micheko Galerie, Munich, Germany

2019
Westward HO! A Look at Contemporary Craft from the Southwest, Wayne Art Center, PA
Alcoves 2020, New Mexico Museum of Art, Santa Fe, NM
300 K Away, Gallery Fritz, Santa Fe, NM
Unfolding Tradition, Albuquerque Museum, Albuquerque, NM

2018
Follow the Line, Richard Levy Gallery, Albuquerque, NM (solo)
PARALLAX, A RAiR Connection Exhibition, Roswell Museum and Art Center, Roswell, NM

2017
The 27th Annual ArtThrive: Art Exhibition & Benefit, Albuquerque Museum, Albuquerque, NM
Taking Flight, Bone Springs Art Space, Roswell, NM

2016
Unstructured Merriment: 25th Anniversary Exhibition, Richard Levy Gallery, Albuquerque, NM
Miniatures & More, Albuquerque Museum, Albuquerque, NM

2015
From the Ground Up: Design Here + Now, 516 Arts, Albuquerque, NM
Coordinates, Richard Levy Gallery, Albuquerque, NM

2014
Richard Whitten Emi Ozawa, Dedee Shattuck Gallery, Westport, MA
Ikebana, Group Show, 5G Gallery, Albuquerque, NM
Small Works, Group Show, Dedee Shattuck Gallery, Westport, MA
New Work, Project Room, Richard Levy Gallery, Albuquerque, NM
Ikebana, Group Show, 5G Gallery, Albuquerque, NM

2013
Small Works, Group Show, Dedee Shattuck Gallery, Westport, MA
Miniatures and More 2013, The Albuquerque Museum, Albuquerque, NM

2012
Small Works, Group Show, Dedee Shattuck Gallery, Westport, MA
Boxes and Their Makers, Mobile Museum of Art, Mobile, AL (traveling)

2011
Boxes and Their Makers, Ohio Craft Museum, Columbus, OH, Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum, WI (traveling)
Serious Play, Richard Levy Gallery, Albuquerque, NM (with Jeff Kellar)
Meredyth and Meg Go 3D, Gallery NAGA, Boston, MA

2010
Boxes and Their Makers, The Fuller Museum, Brockton, MA

2009
Albuquerque Now, Albuquerque Museum, Albuquerque, NM
Boxes and Their Makers, Messler Gallery, Center for Furniture Craftsmanship, Rockport, ME
Craft in America: Focus on Wood, The society of Arts and Crafts, Boston, MA

2008
Going To The Dog, The RISD Museum, Providence, RI

2007
The artful home show by The Guild, Ink, New York, NY

2005
Synchronize, Palette Contemporary Art & Craft, Albuquerque, NM (solo)
CAUTION! Animals at work, The Wharton Esherick Museum, Paoli, PA
Clocks: Time Well Spent, Kentucky Museum of Art and Craft, Louisville, KY
Group Show, Rogers Gallery, Mattapoisett, MA

2004
ABC of Craft, The Houston Center for Contemporary Craft, Houston, TX
September Exhibition, RISD/works, Providence, RI

2003
Domesticated Animals, The Society of Arts and Crafts, Boston, MA
Influences: UArts Alumni Furniture, The University of the Arts, Philadelphia, PA
Furniture: Future Tense, The Store@DeCordova, Lincoln, MA
Inside Out, Bausch & Lomb Gallery, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY

2002
The 30th Annual Toys Designed by Artists Exhibition, The Arkansas Center Decorative Arts Museum, Little Rock, AR
Contemporary Studio Case Furniture: The Inside Story, Elvehjem Museum of Art, University of Wisconsin-Madison, WI
For Your Collection, Attleboro Museum, Attleboro, MA

2001
Objects for the New Millennium: Contemporary design from Japan, The
Morikami Museum and Japanese Garden, Delray Beach, FL
Celebrating Boxes, (Traveling Exhibition in the UK through 2003) Tullie House Museum and Art Gallery, Carlisle, UK
Oxo Tower Gallery, London, UK
Centennial Arts & Crafts Exhibition, Providence Art Club, Providence, RI

2000
JOSHIBI: A Centenary Exhibition, Gallery Mitsukoshi, Nihonbashi, Tokyo,
JAPAN
Invitational Box Exhibition, del Mano Gallery, Pasadena, CA
Studio Furniture, The Society of Art and Crafts, Boston, MA
Studio Furniture: A Fine Art Invitational, Memphis College of Art, Memphis, TN

1999
Boxes and Sculpture, The Sarah Doyle Gallery Providence, RI (solo)

1998
Toys and Gadgets, The Society of Arts and Crafts, Boston, MA

1997
Contemporary North American Furniture – Survey of the Furniture Makers Art, Neuberger Museum, Purchase, NY
Mirror, curated by Rosanne Somerson, Joanne Rapp Gallery, The hand and spirit, Scottsdale, AZ

1995
Please be seated: Master of Art of Seating, The Henry Morrison Flagler Museum, Palm Beach, FL

1994
The Domestic Object: Articles for Everyday Living, The Berkshire Museum, Worcester Center for Crafts, Fuller Museum, MA
The Graduates, Meredith Gallery, Baltimore, MD

1991
Toys Designed by Artists Exhibition, The Arkansas Center Decorative Arts Museum, Little Rock, AR

Collections
Albuquerque Museum
Arkansas Center Decorative Art Museum
Bernstein Management Corporation
CBOE
City of Albuquerque
Fidelity Investments Corporate Art Collection
Fidentia Collection

Awards
2017
Nominee, USA Fellowship 

2015
Louise Comfort Tiffany Biennial Award Nominee

1999
Honorable Mention, American Craft Council Craft Market Baltimore

1991
Purchase Award, Toys Designed by Artists Exhibition
The Arkansas Arts Center Decorative Arts Museum, Little Rock, AR

1988
Marcus A. Renzetti Memorial Award,
The University of the Arts, Philadelphia, PA
The Alexander Award, The University of the Arts, Philadelphia, PA

Press
2021
Nancy Zastudil, Review: Thirtieth Anniversary Show at Richard Levy Gallery, Southwest Contemporary, June 18
Maria Manuela, Five Things to Do This Weekend, New Mexico Magazine, June 18

2018
Wesley Pulkka, Art review: Exhibit by Albuquerque artist Emi Ozawa playful, superb,  Albuquerque Journal, February 18
Maggie Grimason, Playing With Shape, The Weekly Alibi, January 18 – 24

2015
Wes Pulkka, Local art show includes pinhole photos by former UNM professor, Venue, Albuquerque Journal, May 3
Elaine Ritchel, Unfolding Our Hometown Map: Massive citywide exhibition navigates Albuquerque’s art trajectory, The Weekly Alibi, January 29 – February 4
Kathaleen Roberts, ABQ exhibits push artistic boundaries, Albuquerque Journal, January 25

2014
Cate McQuaid, Week Ahead: Gallery picks, The Boston Globe, August 27

Richard Whitten and Emi Ozawa work featured at Dedee Shattuck Gallery, The Herald News, Fall River, MA, August 20

2012
Thomas B. Harrison, Out of the box: Mobile Museum of Art exhibits ‘Boxes and Their Makers’ through July 1 (gallery), Al.com, May 18

2011
Gallery News for Thursday, Radio broadcast, February 17, Albuquerque, 95.5 KHFM
Wesley Pulkka, Volumes are spoken in simplicity, Albuquerque Journal, February 6

2010
Peggy Mullen, CHIT CHAT: Emi Ozawa, The Patriot Ledger, Enterprisenews.com, September 23
Local IQ, Albuquerque, NM, December 23
The Boston Globe, MA, August 12

2009
Oscar P. Fitzgerald, New Master of the Wooden Box – Expanding the Boundaries of Box Making, Fox Chapel Publishing

2008
Providence Journal, Lifebeat Section, RI, December 4
Mary Engelbreit’s Home Companion, April/May
Chesapeake Home’s Kitchen & Bath Guide, Summer

2007
The Artful Home, Lark Books
DIVERSION, for Physician at leisure, November

2006
Image Magazine, Silicon Valley Community Newspaper, July
YANKEE Magazine, April
ANEW, a magazine for women in South Central Wisconsin, March issue
The Dallas Morning News, March 31

2005
Home Decor BUYER, May/June

2004
400 Wood Boxes, Lark Books
Home & Design, May & June issue, Washington DC, MD and VA

Press Release
2024  four by four at Richard Levy Gallery

2021 Made in ABQ at Richard Levy Gallery

2018 Follow The Line at Richard Levy Gallery

2016 Unstructured Merriment at Richard Levy Gallery

2015 Coordinates at Richard Levy Gallery

2014 New Work at Richard Levy Gallery

2011 Serious Play at Richard Levy Gallery