Andrew J. Gemrich is a ceramic artist originally from Kalamazoo, Michigan, who has lived and worked in Motegi, Japan since 1993. He studied at Waseda University in Tokyo (1988-89) and earned his B.A. from Kalamazoo College in 1990. During his time at Waseda University he was first exposed to Japanese ceramics. After moving to Mashiko, Japan—the renowned pottery town—he apprenticed under master potter Shunji Chikaraishi (1994-95) before establishing his wood-fired kiln and Gemrich Ceramic Studio in 1996. Gemrich’s work is rooted in Japanese functional ceramics. Using locally self sourced materials and natural ash glazes, his work incorporates influences from both his Japanese experience and his midwestern upbringing. He has experience with wood, gas and salt kilns.

Gemrich has received numerous accolades throughout his career, including the prestigious Shoji Hamada Prize (Grand Prize) at the 1996 Mashiko Ceramic Competition, and multiple Festival Prizes in Ink Painting at the Mashiko Culture Festival (2017, 2022, 2025). He has exhibited extensively across Asia, Europe, and North America, with solo shows in Tokyo, Fukushima, Mashiko, and Utsunomiya, as well as group exhibitions in South Korea, Thailand, China, Taiwan, Turkey, and the United States.

Beyond his artistic practice, Gemrich has been deeply involved in ceramic arts organizations, serving on the Board of Directors for the Mashiko Ceramics and Arts Association (MCAA) since 2011 and as Chairman from 2019-2025. His international projects include the Khmer Pottery Restoration Project in Cambodia (2015), the Hamada Shoji Noborigama Revival Project (2015, 2018, 2026), and coordinating the Mashiko-St. Ives 100th Anniversary Monument (2021). He has been an instructor of ceramics at Tochigi Prefectural Mashiko Hosei High School and has given lectures at institutions including the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts and Taipei National Education University.