born 1813 Federal Avenue E., Capitol Hill, Seattle, February 22, 1910
died Seattle December 1997
father Shozo Tsutakawa, an import-export merchant who came to Seattle in 1900
mother Hisa Naito Tsutakawa
sister's husband's business became the current Uwajimaya
attended Lowell Elementary on Federal Avenue by Volunteer Park
1917 at age 7 moved with his family back to Japan to live with maternal grandmother, Mutsu Naito
grew up in the ancient castle town Fukuyama, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan
studied pottery, calligraphy, painting and tea with Zen master in Fukuyama
frequently visited his grandfather in Okayama
1927 returned to Seattle at age 17
studied art at Broadway High School where he was a friend of (1912-1973) and Morris Graves
met and associated with Mark Tobey, Kenneth Callahan, Guy Anderson, Paul Horiuchi, Isamu Noguchi, Dudley Carter, Bill Gamble, Kenjiro Nomura, Kamekichi Tokita, Takuichi Fujii, Wes Wehr, and other masters of the Northwest School
University of Washington, BFA 1937
served in US Army in World War Two, teaching Japanese in the Military Intelligence School in Minnesota
1947 married Ayame Iwasa, student of Japanese dance and flower arrangement, whom he had met on a visit to Tule Lake Camp
University of Washington, MFA
taught Japanese in University of Washington Far East Department
joined faculty of University of Washington School of Art, 1947
also taught part-time in the University of Washington School of Architecture, from 1950
first fountain sculpture "The Fountain of Wisdom" 1960 at the main downtown Seattle Public Library, the first commissioned public sculpture in Seattle since 1908, derived from obos stacked rock structures still customary in the Himalayas which are also the antecedents of pagodas
more than 75 fountains
retrospective Bellevue Art Museum, 1990, to mark 80th birthday
son Gerard born 1947, sculptor
daughter Mayumi born 1949, writer and curator
son Deems Akihiko born 1952, jazz musician
son Marcus born 1955, conductor
George Tsutakawa, by Mayumi Tsutakawa, at HistoryLink.org
George Tsutakawa, by Deloris Tarzan Ament
George Tsutakawa - Art in Allen Center
George Tsutakawa interviewed by Martha Kingsbury, Smithsonian Art Archives
