Born in Taiwan and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, Suzanne’s love for travel, culture, and artistic expression has taken her on many adventures. Although she developed a passion for ceramics as a teenager, by the time she was twenty she was pursuing scene design for film and theater, which led her to a Master of fine arts degree. Suzanne worked in these industries for ten years in both New York and San Francisco.
City life and country living have shaped her wider perspective, and she feels fortunate to have experienced both worlds. In China and Hong Kong, Suzanne spent a few years working in product development for giftware and home decor. “Urban living had a great impact on me: I changed my lifestyle in 2006 and moved to the countryside! Working for a small, high-end tea company in New England, I was able to travel to tea-growing regions in Asia, which deepened my understanding of tea culture. These experiences greatly shaped my ability to communicate, and helped focus and drive my creative passion.”
Having lived previously in Hawaii, Suzanne always wanted to return. She was fascinated by the hybrid Asian melting pot that co-exists with the native Hawaiian culture. Shortly after moving to the Big Island in 2010, she stumbled upon a student pottery sale that inspired her to take up the craft again. Getting my hands back into clay was like having a long lost love rekindled.
“I believe the most beautiful art comes from nature and the work of time. The land and sea provide the greatest inspiration, and I always look to my surroundings for ideas on shape, texture and color.”
