Marunuma Art Park, Asaka, Japan

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Mr. Susaki is a successful Japanese businessman who is a great supporter of the arts. He collects Japanese pre-modern and modern art as well as American artists. He founded Marunuma Art Park in Asaka Japan (north of Tokyo). There he provides studio space for artists at reduced rates and two artists pay no rent. He built an exhbition hall where the artists display their work. In the spring of 2007 he lent 112 watercolors and drawings by Andrew Wyeth for a specila exhibition at the Cincinnati Art Museum. This artist has been at Marunuma Art Park for over ten years. He uses Carrera marble from Italy for his sculptures. He loves to work outdoors which inspires him. On the left is Otoyo Nakamura, the curator for Mr. Susaki's Wyeth collection. We became friends with her when she was in Cincinnati this spring. This ceramic artist specializes in wood fired artworks. Firing and cooling the kiln takes over a week. He also teaches ceramic classes at Marunuma Art Park. We met some of the students in the ceramics classes. They each seemed to be developing their own style. A student in the ceramics class at Marunuma Art Park in Asaka, Japan, founded by Mr. Susaki. A student in the ceramics class at Marunuma Art Park in Asaka, Japan, founded by Mr. Susaki. A student in the ceramics class at Marunuma Art Park in Asaka, Japan, founded by Mr. Susaki. A student in the ceramics class at Marunuma Art Park in Asaka, Japan, founded by Mr. Susaki.