Makiko Matsumoto

Makiko Matsumoto was born on June 7, 1932, as a first daughter of Otojiro Onishi (father) and Fumi Onishi (mother). Otojiro Onishi was a pharmacist and running a pharmacy store in Fushimi, Kyoto. After graduating Momoyama High School, she learned Ito Method of Draping and Patterning at Kyoto Fashion School and taught at the school several years before she married to Hiroyuki (Hiro) Matsumoto. She was also running an order made dress making service in Kyoto. Makiko and Hiro lived two years in Honolulu (1977~), five years in West Lafayette, IN, before Hiro assumed a faculty position at The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center and start living in Norman, OK. She stayed home as a full time housewife since she came to the U.S. Makiko was interested in wide areas of visual arts, especially in fashion, drawing, pottery, and embroidery. At Firehouse Art Center she created hundreds of potteries. Her special interest is to express Japanese motifs in traditional shapes like tea cups. She was awarded First Place (twice), Second Place (once) and Third Place (five times) in the pottery section of May Fair. While living in the United States for over 30 years, Makiko did not forget the aesthetics of traditional Japan, especially that of Kyoto culture. Apparently her works reflect that aspect of her aesthetics. She was cited in MARQUIS Who’s Who in the World, Who’s Who in America, and Who’s Who in the American Education within the entry of Hiroyuki Matsumoto. She was survived by Hiro Matsumoto, Masaomi Matsumoto (son), Marta Matsumoto (Masaomi’s wife), Naomi Matsumoto (grand daughter), and Hiroaki Matsumoto (grandson).