This year Akio set out to create new expressions through the beauty of imperfection. Drawing inspiration from Kakuzo Okakura, Akio says, "Okakura notes that imperfect objects invite us to use our imaginations—to 'complete' them in our mind’s eye. His ideas inspired me to think beyond symmetry and explore imbalance, which gave way to Imperfect Vessels. I hope you’ll enjoy it and let your imagination run wild!" 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.