• Michiko is inspired by the movement of light and shadow inside glass
• For her, craft is a close dialogue with materials
• She combines teaching art with her own creative practice

Michiko Sakuta's glass practice is shaped by a deep understanding of materials, light and form. She studied glass at Joshibi University of Art and Design, where she first discovered the possibilities of the material, and later continued at Tokyo University of the Arts. Although Michiko learned the basics of casting at university, many of the techniques she uses today, especially for large-scale pieces, come from research and experimentation. “My works are born from a close dialogue with materials,” she says. Michiko imagines the space inside glass as a small architectural structure formed by light and shadow. She has widely in solo and group shows, earning major honours including the Silver Prize at Toyama International Glass Exhibition in 2024.