For Akio Nukaga throwing on the wheel is a technique close to his heart, one that he can always rely on. This piece features his signature “Pleated Work” technique of carving grooves into the wet clay after it is thrown on the wheel. These grooves accentuate the profile of the vessel creating movement and rhythm. Akio finishes the vessel by applying different colored slips (liquid clay)—a technique he has refined over the last 30 years—to create richly varied surfaces that are a joy to see and touch.