Tommy Kakinuma was born near Tokyo in 1908 and immigrated to Canada in 1937 where he would establish himself as a potter and sculptor. As head of the ceramics program at the University of British Columbia in the 1950’s, he also became an influential teacher. Kakinuma became especially known for his hand-built ceramic animals, managing to capture their personality and character with simple forms.

Kakinuma produced a variety of animals, birds especially, but on the very rare occasion I come across one of his cats. This ginger looks particularly content with curled tail and tucked paws. With the tiniest of gestures, Kakinuma conveys the essential “cat-ness” and special essence of a cat.  

After the wonderful 2018 retrospective of his ceramics at the West Vancouver Art Museum, there was a resurgence of interest in Kakinuma’s work. And the show “Written in Clay”, currently on now at the Vancouver Art Gallery, features a special section dedicated to Kakinuma’s ceramic animals.