Gloria Sakato was born and raised in Seoul, South Korea during the Korean War. In the late 1960s, she moved to California to attend college and graduated with honors in Biochemistry. Subsequently, she enjoyed a long career in analytical and nuclear chemistry and retired as a noted forensic explosives specialist on the West Coast.
Retiring from that career allowed her to explore and pursue a new interest — ceramics. She established a studio practice in Fairfield, California, while studying under Professor Marc Lancet of Solano Community College. She draws inspiration for her creations from a wide range of media including paintings by Mark Rothko, wood sculptures by Thierry Martenon, and traditional Japanese pottery. She has exhibited in several group shows, and received numerous fine art awards and recognition. She is a founding member of Out of Clay, and is the mother of two children.
Throughout her life, Sakato has been deeply fascinated by nature, finding beauty in both its creative and destructive powers. Her creative work is inspired additionally by her observation of nature displayed in its minuscule to most majestic wonders as she encountered through her extensive backpacking in the high Sierra Nevada wilderness. Her ceramic forms are primarily built with coils, as she finds this technique most fitting to express her spiritual and visual connection to this extraordinary natural landscape.
Selected Exhibitions & Awards
2024 The Beauty of Purpose: A Functional Ceramic Show, Sebastopol Center for the Arts Juried Exhibition, Sebastopol, California, USA
2nd Place - Ceramic Vessel
2024 California Conference for the Advancement of Ceramic Art (CCACA), Solano Community College Group Exhibit, Davis, California, USA
2023 ‘Chasing the Flame’: Seven Artists-Seven Visions, Group Art Show by Invitation, Herger Gallery, Solano Community College, Fairfield, California, USA
2023 Slice, Juried Art Show, Pence Gallery, Davis, California, USA
2022 59th Annual Nor-Cal Regional Juried Art Show, Fairfield-Suisun City Visual Arts Association, Fairfield, California, USA
1st Place - Ceramic/Vessel
Honorable Mention - Ceramic/Sculpture
2021 Black/White & Shades of Gray, Sebastopol Center for the Arts Juried Exhibition, Sebastopol, California, USA
2019 Wabi-Sabi, O’Hanlon Center for the Arts Juried Exhibition, Mill Valley, California, USA
2019 ‘Out of Clay’ Group Show, Alpha Fired Arts, Sacramento, California, USA
2019 20th Anniversary Exhibition Celebrating Wood-fire at Solano Community College, Herger Gallery (by invitation), Fairfield, California, USA
2019 California Conference for the Advancement of Ceramic Art (CCACA), Solano Community College Group Exhibit, Davis, California, USA
2018 California Clay Competition 2018, 29th Annual Statewide Juried Exhibition, The Artery, Davis, California, USA
2018 77th Annual Marin County Fair (Fine Arts & Craft, 3-dimensional) Juried Exhibition, San Rafael, California, USA
2017 76th Annual Marin County Fair (Fine Arts & Craft, 3-dimensional) Juried Exhibition, San Rafael, California, USA
Honorable Mention - Ceramic
2017 54th Annual Nor-Cal Regional Juried Art Show, Fairfield-Suisun City Visual Arts Association, Fairfield, California, USA
1st Place - Ceramic/Vessel
3rd Place - Ceramic/Sculpture
2016 53rd Annual Northern Regional Juried Art Show, Fairfield-Suisun City Visual Arts Association, Fairfield, California, USA
2nd Place - Ceramic/Vessel
2015 California Conference for the Advancement of Ceramic Art (CCACA), Solano Community College Group Exhibit, Davis, California, USA
2014 California Conference for the Advancement of Ceramic Art (CCACA), Solano Community College Group Exhibit, Davis, California, USA