FAIRMONT EMPRESS HAS NEW ARTIST IN RESIDENCE

The Fairmont Empress in Victoria, BC has welcomed ceramic artist Harumi Ota as its new artist in residence. Ota will be the seventh artist in residence for The Fairmont Empress. Since beginning the art residency program in 2010, The Fairmont Empress has attracted many highly acclaimed Victoria, BC artists to create art onsite including Robert Amos, Manon Elder and David Goatley.

Ota trained in the forming and decorating of traditional Kutani-style ceramics in Ishikawa, Japan. His art may be best described as an eclectic fusion of Japanese esthetics with a contemporary style reflective of his adoptive country, Canada. Ota’s art also contains vibrant influences of his year of mountaineering in South America. Ota’s works have been shown at major ceramic exhibitions including the International Ceramics Competition Mino and the Kutani International Decorative Ceramics Competition in Japan, as well as the Fletcher Challenge Competition in New Zealand. Ota’s studio at The Fairmont Empress is located in the Upper Lobby of the grand hotel and is open for guests and local resident viewings daily. (http://www.fairmont.com/empress)