民次の経歴：
民次は１９３６年にメキシコから帰国後、戦争を避けて住んだ妻の実家の一角にある
ムロと呼ばれる陶器工場の作業場を改装し昭和１８年（１９４３年）アトリエにし、戦後の
多くの作品がここから生まれた。民次がやきものに絵を描くようになったのは昭和２５年頃
（１９５０年頃）瀬戸の陶磁器業界が活気を取り戻した頃、谷口史郎、鈴木八郎、杉浦芳樹氏
などの陶芸家の窯場に出かけ絵付けをしたのが最初。この頃の作品の多くは東京方面へ
出された。その後も鈴木青々、加藤舜陶、加藤春二などの陶芸家の陶房で絵付けをした。
また、高級磁器を生産していた伊藤伊平氏の窯では特に水差しや食器などに絵付けをした。
昭和３４年（１９５９年）新築の瀬戸市民会館玄関内壁に”採土””製陶””焼成”と題する
モザイク壁画を完成。その前年、メキシコ・ヨーロッパ各地の旅で得られた新しい感覚の壁画
は、我国ではまだ本格的な壁画の無い時代に先駆けて製作されたものとして、その造形性の
美しさと共に多くの美術雑誌にも紹介されて高い評価を得た。この壁画はいまでも新鮮な
美しさで、やきものづくりの瀬戸の象徴として生き続けている。
その後２０数年の間、一般商品への絵付けや一品ものの陶板、大皿、鉢などに多くの陶画
を制作。
Career of Tamiji:
Tamiji returned to Japan from Mexico in 1936 and made his studio in 1943 by converting
workshop at ceramics factory called Muro which is at the corner of site of his wife's
parents' house.. A lot of work were produced by Tamiji from here after the Second World
War. He came to draw pictures on earthenware in around 1950 when ceramic industry in
Seto revived and he often went to ceramic artists who had kilns for underglazing. A lot of
work in these days were dispatched to Tokyo. After that, he underglazed at studios of
ceramic artists such as Mr. Seisei Suzuki, Mr. Shunto Kato or Mr. Sunji Kato.
He also underglazed on water jungs or tablewares at the kiln of Mr. Ihei Kato where high
quality porcelains were produced. In 1959, he completed mosaic wall painting titled "Saido"
(meaning 'digging out clay'), "Seitou"(meaning 'making pottery') and "Shousei"(meaning
'firing' at the inside wall of entrance of Seto City Civic Hall newly built in 1959.　
This wall painting with new feeling acquired through his trip to Mexico and various countries
in Europe together with beauty of plasticity were introduced by many art magazines and
received high evaluation because it was produced in the forefront of orthdox wall painting.
This is still carrying fresh beauty and existing as symbol of Seto, featuring the make of
ceramic ware. For about 20 years after that, he underglazed on ordinary ceramics or made
a lot of painting on pottery plates, large plates or bowls.

民次の陶壁画：
瀬戸市民会館・瀬戸市図書館・名古屋のCBC放送会館・カゴメ本社ビル等
Wall paintings made by Tamiji:
Seto City Civic Hall, Seto City Library, CBC Broadcasting Hall,
Kagome Head Office, etc.

市民の文化的財産：
瀬戸信用金庫では１９５８年から毎年、民次の作品をカレンダーにし関係者へ配っている。
写真の”１９６０年瀬戸風景”はそのうちの一つで、この絵は瀬戸市茨町の丘の中腹（現在の
瀬戸市文化センターのある場所）から瀬戸中心部を見て描いたもの。
絵の真中あたりにあるのが伍助工場。
Citizen's cultural asset:
Every year, The Seto Shinkin Bank makes the work of Tamiji calendar and distributes it
to people concerned. Photo "Seto Scenery in 1960" is one of them. This picture was
drawned viewing the center of Seto city from the place where Seto City Culture Center
is located at present.

アトリエと芸術家横丁へのアクセス：
名古屋ー尾張旭市ー瀬戸を東西に結ぶ瀬戸街道の新開地交差点を北に真っ直ぐ約４００ｍ
（この区間は瀬戸で最も交通事故が多いダンプ街道とも言う）行きマンション北西の小さい橋
を超えてすぐ右折し一方通行の道を約１００ｍ東へ進むと、２つ目の小さい橋が右に見えるが、
この橋をを渡り３０ｍ位行くと道路に沿って左に芸術家横丁があります。ここから約１００ｍ南に
アトリエがあります。　アトリエには特に駐車スペースがないので、この芸術家横丁に駐車させ
てもらってアトリエへ歩いて行くのがベストではないかと思います。　下の写真はダンプ街道が
橋にかかる手前のマンション南側の東西に伸び、西から東への一方通行となっている道路で、
ちょうどこの道の突き当たりが芸術家横丁のある場所です。
Access to 'Tamiji's Studio' and 'Side Alley of Artists' :
Drive straight to north at crossing of 'Shinkaichi' for about 400m and pass a little bridge and
turn to right just after passing. Then drive about 30 m to east and turn a little bridge to
right, and you will see Side Alley of Artists along the street. (called 'Danpu Kaidou' meaning
road of dump truck for transporting silica sand; No. 1 occurrence of trafic accident in this
city in the past) about 100 m from here, you will arrive at Tamiji's Studio. Since there are no
parking space at the Studio, it is recommended that you park cars at the parking lot of
Side Alley of Artists' . Of course, you should ask for the permission for parking there.

気になる事：
市民会館が別の場所に新築される予定で、その場合この壁画がどうなるのか？
Anxiety:
Civi Hall will be build newly here or at the other place. What about the fate of the
wall painting?

”旅の手帳から”という随筆に次のように書いています：
”瀬戸は自分には住み甲斐があると思った。それは趣味だけでは片付けられない事だ。生活
に必要な物を生産している街には、うわづった遊覧地等には見られない美しい姿がある”。

瀬戸周辺には”瀬戸へいかんでどこへいく”と謡われた童謡の一節があります。この童謡は
瀬戸が大窯業地としていかに繁栄していたかを物語ると同時に外来者を受け入れる寛容な
態度、非排他的で開放的な土地柄を物語っています。　かつて、メキシコから帰国した
民次一家を、温かく受け入れた瀬戸。そして民次作品においても、瀬戸の風物は重要な位置
を占めています。　働く人々の街、瀬戸。庶民的な雰囲気の街、瀬戸。陶土で濁った瀬戸川
の水が街の中央を走る。　かつては石炭窯の煤煙ですすけた建物や空気。　
どれも民次芸術に徹底的に反映されている。　北川民次、この画家は瀬戸を直接描かなく
ても、瀬戸の精神を持った人だと感じずにはいられない。

Tamiji continuing to love Seto:
extract from "Karugamo Takuchi Dayori Vol.10, Housing Site Information Jounal issued by
the Public Housing Corporation Chubu
What charm drives Tamiji into drawing pictures of Seto?
A forest of chimneies, narrow alleys , slope, private houses and factories which stand as if
lying one upon another. He felt a sign or indication of life of people who work restlessly.
It might have looked like a town, Takos, Mexico where he had lived. Takos is town of workers,
town of silver mine where people build houses in any places. Sucn living vitality of people in
Takos might have born close resemblance to the one in Seto.
Tamiji found true beauty among people working cheerfuly, saying 'we have tomorrow while
enduring poverty and hard work.
Collection of essays titled 'Tabi no Techou kara' which means 'from notebook of travel' says:
I thought Seto is worhwhile to live. It is impossible to understand in terms of only taste.
A town producing necessity for life has beauty which can not be seen in sightseeing spots.

There is a stanza of nursery song sung 'Is there any place other than Seto to visit?' around
Seto. This song tells how Seto was prosperous as big ceramic industry area and how people
in Seto is tolerent for and open to new comers to Seto. Seto received warmly Tamiji Family
who returned from Mexico. The institutions and customs of Seto holds important place in
work of Tamiji. Seto ,where many people work, has an atmosphere of ordinary folks.
Water with milky color brought by clay in Seto river runs the center of the town.
In the past, buildings and air became sooty by soot and smoke ejected from coal kiln.
All these thinks are reflected thoroughly on Tamiji Art
We can not help feeling Tamiji is just the person with spirit of Seto.