Akira Satake considers the act of creation to be a collaboration between himself, clay, and fire. A professionally trained musician, Satake set up his ceramics studio in 2003, after a move from Brooklyn to Swannanoa, NC. Before then, he lived in Brooklyn, California, and was born in Osaka. His process of making lies in discovering what the clay wants to be and bringing out its beauty. He is a widely sought after instructor and lecturer and his work has been exhibited internationally and throughout the U.S.