Masaru Takiguchi began sculpting at a very young age, experimenting with firewood that his father would bring home for the family’s hearth. Over time, he became known in his native Japan for camphorwood sculptures with intricate abstract patterns of great tactile interest. His works have a continuity without joints or any sharp surface confrontations. As seen in Orbit I and Orbit II, Takiguchi’s works obey the traditional modernist tenets of form. Interested in classical sculptures, Takiguchi also developed a parallel series of works in marble, of which The Ocean and the smaller-scaled Embracing are prime examples and can be found at the University of Houston Clear Lake campus. Takiguchi immigrated to Houston in 1968. He says that his favorite thing about being in Texas is how vast the sky is. He has been a guest lecturer at the University of Houston several times and is the recipient of the Award of Excellence Houston AIA from Rice University. His public works can be found all over the city of Houston.