Leading ceramicist Masahiro Maeda (b. 1948) is known for glaze-painted porcelains pioneering distinctly contemporary designs. Maeda's approach to iro-e technique innovate traditional Japanese forms and color arrangements. His method of creating woven texture using paint masks produces timeless layered and overlapping surfaces. Maeda's works exhibited at the Victoria & Albert, Smithsonian National Museum, and Tokyo National Museum among many others, and are in collections of the highest caliber including the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Art Institute of Chicago, and many more. Maeda's work has led him to serve as a judge at Japan's top ceramic competitions, and his contributions to contemporary ceramic design influence generations of Japanese artists as director of Japan Crafts Association in addition to many other leadership roles at key craft institutions.

1948　Born in Kumihama Town, Kyoto Prefecture

1975　Completed Ceramics Course, Department of Crafts, Graduate School of Fine Arts, Tokyo University of the Arts

1983　Japanese Ceramics Today – Masterworks from the Kikuchi Collection Exhibition (Smithsonian Institution, Washington and Victoria and Albert Museum, London)

1992　100 Selections of Contemporary Japanese Ceramics Exhibition, Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi Department Store

2005　Relocated his studio to Roppongi, Tokyo. Held Roppongi Ceramics Club

　　　Received the Excellence Award at the Kikuchi Biennale

2008　Received the Excellence Award at the 2nd Musee Tomo Prize, Contemporary Ceramics for the Tea Ceremony Exhibition

2009　Aka, Kuro, Kin, Gin, Midori, Ao - In Praise of Colors Maeda Masahiro Exhibition (Musee Tomo)

2010　Received the MOA Museum of Art Award at the 17th, MOA Mokichi Okada Awards Exhibition

2011　Received the Japan Ceramics Society President's Award

2013　Colourful x Monochrome - Maeda Masahiro x Japanese-style Painting Exhibition (Yoshizawa Memorial Museum of Art, Sano)

　　　8th Paramita Ceramic Art Grand Prize Exhibition (Paramita Museum)

2016　Opened "Maeda MasahiroInstitute of Porcelain" in Yokohama.

2017 　Won at the 37th POLA Traditional Japanese Culture POLA award.

2019　Received Kanagawa Cultural Award