Furniture maker, artist, and educator Wendy Maruyama has been making innovative work for 40 years. While her early work combined ideologies of feminism and traditional craft objects, her newer work moves beyond the boundaries of traditional studio craft and into the realm of social practice. Since 1994, Maruyama has been creating works inspired by the memory of her childhood growing up as a Japanese-American, her interpretation of her ethnic heritage, and her observations of the Japanese culture, looking in from the outside.
Wendy Maruyama has recently retired from teaching at San Diego State University. In addition to SDSU, she has taught at Appalachian Center for Crafts, California College of Arts, and has taught for 35 years all total. She exhibited her work nationally for over four decades, with solo shows in New York City, San Francisco, Scottsdale, Indianapolis, Savannah, and Easthampton. She has exhibited internationally in Tokyo, Seoul, and London. Maruyama’s work can also be found in both national and international permanent museum collections.
“As a studio artist and an educator, I have watched CERF+’s mission from afar and have long admired their mission and their endeavors to help craft practitioners in need. I know of several colleagues who have suffered injuries or lost their studios to fire, so I am aware of the anguish that these individuals have suffered. To have an organization like CERF+ come to their aid is a godsend. It is a deep honor to be able to serve on their board and be a part of their continued outreach, especially during these trying times.”