Born Nov. 7, 1933, in Los Angeles, Towata spent time in a Japanese-American internment camp in California with his family, including his parents Itsuji and Asayo Towata. He served in the Air Force before attending Southern Illinois University Edwardsville where he earned a bachelor’s degree in 1962 and a Master of Fine Arts/master’s in education in 1971.

He created singular ash-fired ceramics. Much of his work is based on his and his family’s experience in internment camps in America during World War II because of their Japanese ancestry. The internationally renowned artist also taught art at the college level.