Wilfred Yamasawa was born in Honaunau, Kona on Hawai‘i Island and was raised on a coffee farm there. He received BFA and MFA degrees in sculpture at the University of Hawai‘i, Manoa, began working in glass in 1977, and started his own studio in 1980.
It is located in Holualoa Village on the slopes of Mount Hualalai where he works in glass from March through August, and runs his coffee farm from September through February. Wilfred’s work has been widely shown in juried exhibits throughout the state and is represented in mainland galleries. In 1996, The Corning Museum of Glass chose his “Spoiled Child” vase as one of only 100 pieces for inclusion in its rigorously judged international New Glass Review 17. He is also an accomplished poet with both Hawai‘i and national literary publications to his credit.
Wilfred and his wife have a daughter and son.
“The island of Hawai‘i provides me with a rich source of imagery to translate into my work—the deep blues of the water off the Kona shore, the shapes and colors of our exotic plants, the power and drama of our volcanoes. Each piece I make is created solely as a work of art. Unlike most other materials sculptors use, glass allows me to think of “painted forms” because of the dynamic play of light, color and form.”
