My Days of Ceramics

Twenty-five years ago in Kyoto, Japan, I took a ceramics class twice a week. I exchanged baby sitting with my friend who wanted to take an aerobics class. At that time the pottery was just my time-filling hobby but sooner or later, it turned out to be the most enjoyable activity in my life. So everywhere I have gone since, I have searched for a ceramics studio and tried to spend time with clay, even though I was "on and off" while working full time, engaging in motherhood, and supporting my husband's work over all those years.

I first practiced ceramics at a small studio called Shimpo in Kyoto, then at the Harvard U ceramics studio in Massachusetts, the College of William & Mary studio in Virginia, the U of Delaware studio in Delaware, Carolyn's studio in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and now I am at the Titirangi Potters' studio. At all these places, all the ceramists/potters have been so great to me. I could just fit in to the environment right away. Here in the Titirangi studio, I feel like I have been here many years and I have known the members all these years. But I am here only since October, 06. I am so thankful to the members and the ceramics.

I like ceramics in the way that I cannot control everything beyond a certain point during the process of making something. Always I have some surprise, because of the weather, fire, kiln, glaze, clay, and human hands and mind. I like absolutely functional pieces with ashy glaze on stoneware. I like to make them with my hands and I like to hold and use them in my everyday life. I would like clay to be relaxed in the form that I make. Unfortunately, my skill has not reached that level. I think that the particles of clay are still a little bit too tight in my pieces. My goal is to create pieces that feel soft, warm and playful in your hands when picked up or held by someone. Well, I'll just keep sitting at a wheel throwing clay.