Studying Abroad

While I was studying abroad in Japan, I enrolled in an independent study course with my focus in ceramics. Since the university I was at wasn't an art school and the language barrier could be tough at times, I knew this would be an interesting challenge. Luckily, I happened to meet a friend at the university from New Zealand who is a painter and wanted to do independent study ceramics with me. So, the challenge became finding a place to do it. We started by asking around, friends, professors and my friend's host family, and everyone seemed pretty certain there was no public studio we could work at. So we started with the less hands on part of independent study ceramics and went on trips to see local kilns, studios and well known ceramics towns, Imari and Hasami. We visited the studio and shop space of a ceramist named Watase Kazko.

My friend has been interested in her work for a while and it was a really great start to our study, as many of the people we tried asking didn't seem to think there were any independent studios in  the area. After reading up on Japanese ceramics and visiting kilns, we stumbled across a small ceramic studio operating out of a history museum in downtown Nagasaki. We managed to communicate with them well enough and set up studio time where my friend and I could come work there! Working in this studio space was such a unique opportunity and I learned a lot even in just a few visits. The people working in the studio were so kind and welcoming, and it was really so, so fun. Being able to get back on the wheel and make pieces in a different country was such a great experience. It was such a good chance to learn some new things! Like, how to throw off of the hump, and an interesting way to glaze with white slip.

In this particular studio, they were very interested  in the pieces being specific sized and shapes, which helped me realize that I had never put much thought into making a body of work that was all alike in appearance, since I've typically been more interested in experimenting with "I wonder what I can make on the wheel today". This semester back at my university, I feel so inspired by the work I saw in Japan and my experience in that studio. I'm excited to experiment with a solid body of work and to do some Raku firings. I would love to make some small mugs and play around with some handles. The cups in this studio were very simple in their size and shape, so I would be interested to make a lot of similar pieces, with a simple glaze pattern. I may even work with the white slip technique I learned here. I am also inspired by the work I have seen in galleries and museums, I would love to work in a white and blue color palette. I may continue my work with bottles and vases with this in mind. I felt inspired learning that Watase Kazko rarely works on the wheel and often will just carve away at a piece of clay to create her plates and dishes. I would be interested to emulate this in my own hand building techniques. Forever wishing I could have spent a whole year exploring Japanese ceramics studios and galleries. But for now I will take what I have learned and make, make, make. Can't wait to share the work I create!