Akio Takamori is an astonishing artist. His work is created with such skill and confidence that his pieces speak to an ever growing audience. The eyes of each figure or face implore you to look further and his monkey/butt vases reflect his sense of humor. He received his B.F.A. in 1974, from the Kansas City Art Institute and his M.F.A. in 1976, from New York State College of Ceramics, Alfred University , Alfred, NY. He has had an array of one person exhibitions all over the United States and abroad.He is a professor at the school of art at the University of Seattle Washington. Akio continues to surprise his widening audience by his impressive new life size sculptures that grace such public places as the Whole Foods Market in Seattle, Washington.