includes three porcelain hexagonal shaped plates and one small diamond shaped dish, all hand painted in underglaze blue with native North Carolina flora, each with artist's mark to underside.

Largest 6 1/4 x 7 1/4 in.

From the Estate of Susumu Ikuta and Collection of Dr. Gilbert H. Gottlieb and Nora Lee Willis Gottlieb, North Carolina

Susumu Ikuta began his creative journey in Japan where he was born in 1926 and trained to work as a fashion designer. He moved to New York in 1958 to design high fashion and became part of the iconic art world of that time in the city, Andy Warhol even sketched a portrait of him which now resides at the Ackland Art Museum. He returned to Japan in 1973 to study ceramics under the artist Katoh Kohbei. After perfecting his skills, he chose to return to the US, but instead of the city he settled in quiet and rural North Carolina. He drew inspiration from the native flora and fauna of North Carolina and created porcelain vessels with Japanese inspired shapes decorated with detailed images of the natural beauty he encountered on a daily basis such as flowers, butterflies, crickets, dragonflies, and spiders. He mostly worked with underglaze blue, but then expanded his palette to include a vivid rainbow of glazes giving his ceramics life and charm.

He depended on the kindness of patrons who sponsored him and often allowed him to live and work on their property. The ceramics, studio drawings, and photographs being offered in this auction are from the personal collection of Gilbert and Norma Lee Gottlieb, Susumu's patrons until he passed in 2014.

Very good condition.