Tami is a Japanese glass maker and artist. In 1999 she completed a BA specialising in Glass at Kurashiki University of Science and the Arts in Japan. She then went on to complete an MA in Craft and Design (Glass) at the University for the Creative Arts in Farnham, Surrey. She now lives in Japan where she works at a craft gallery in Kurashiki whilst continuing to create her own individual glass pieces.

Her work is inspired by traditional Japanese cityscapes and tea ceremonies. In Japan, tea bowls used in the Japanese tea ceremony are different from ordinary teacups and the tea bowl is an important part of the tea ceremony. The black pottery tea bowl ‘Kuro Raku’ has been an influence on her work. Tami’s vessels are created from blown, cut and polished glass.

The images below show some of her recent work which includes tubular cups created as matcha tea bowls which are inspired by a variety of materials such as wood, lacquer and stone. The surface of the cups have a polished matte finish which is cool and smooth to the touch and a delight to hold in the hand.

Images by Tami Ishida