[Ceramic artist: Yuka Ando interview part 2] Searching for colors never before seen

How do you determine when a piece is complete?

There is a point within me where I feel like it's complete.

Did you manage to achieve the shape and color you had in mind?

When I'm creating something, I tend to aim too hard for that.

However, I don't think that feeling is necessarily correct.

As time passes and you come into contact with the perspectives of those around you,

I often find myself reconsidering whether something is complete or not.

-- I imagine that due to the nature of ceramic production, it can be difficult to pinpoint a specific point.

I agree.

I think perfectionism and narrow perspectives have always been a challenge for me.

In particular, the glazes we use tend to produce uneven color, and there are many areas that are difficult to control.

That's why, to be honest, I feel pretty down when the finished piece doesn't turn out the way I wanted it to .

I keep thinking about why it didn't work out.

- How do you change your mindset at times like that?

Lately, I've been trying to think, "Well, it's okay."

I know that I'm a bit of a perfectionist, and if I get too hung up on things I can't move forward.

It's a moment of calming down and thinking "it's okay" so that I can move on to the next project.

There are days when I repeat it like a mantra (laughs).

- What's going on in your mind while you're creating?

The potter's wheel and glazes are completely different.

When I'm on the potter's wheel, I feel relatively relaxed.

It feels like I'm tracing the sketched shape with my hands, so I sometimes listen to music or have a movie playing.

On the other hand, it's different when applying the glaze.

That time is really nerve-wracking.

In the silence, I focus only on what is in front of me.

——Please tell us about the evolution of your work.

In the past, my works were more subdued and closer to monochrome.

I think that after living in Denmark, my style has come closer to what it is now.

When I first came to Denmark, I was seriously considering quitting pottery.

I finished my apprenticeship in 2011 and was just about ready to pursue a career as an artist when the earthquake struck.

Valuable things are destroyed or washed away.

When I see the state of the world, I feel like my work isn't important.

I began to think that there was no point in making things .

--So why did you go back to pottery?

During my time in Denmark, I saw how people take great care of their possessions.

I was touched by the sight of people cherishing even things that are not particularly expensive.

I thought, "Making things is indeed a noble job."

That was the trigger that made me take up pottery again.

--What moments in your work give you joy?

It's fresh from the kiln.

It's always a joy when a work comes out that exceeds my imagination.

However, the excitement fades after a couple of days.

As time passes, I find myself thinking, "Couldn't I have expressed it in a more beautiful way?"

Also, I am genuinely happy when visitors at my solo exhibitions praise my work .

--When do you feel distressed?

There's no one to talk to.

I'm a person who likes to talk (laughs).

——What would you like to challenge yourself with next?

I want to make something big.

Until now, I had avoided it due to the difficulty of creating it, but after my solo exhibition in Kyoto,

I began to feel that "big things are fun too."

For the next workshop I am currently planning, I would like to install a large kiln and try my hand at making large pieces.

--What would you do if you were unable to make it for some reason?

I would like to try a variety of jobs.

I like talking, so I sometimes think I'd like to work in a cafe or something.

Actually, I took a break from production for about six months last year.

I was close to my limit, both physically and mentally.

What kept me going was that I wanted to see colors I had never seen before.

With that feeling in mind, I came back.

With that in mind, I would like to try different jobs,

Being a potter may be a special job after all.

——Finally, please give us a message for young ceramic artists.

It's important to keep going.

In other words, don't quit.

As I mentioned earlier, there have been many times when I wanted to quit.

nevertheless.

I continued even though I was thin.

So here we are now.

It may seem obvious, but I think it's very important.

What I felt during the interview was that when Ando talked about his work, he seemed to be accepting of uncertainty.

While checking to see if the shape and color were as envisioned, if the results were not as expected, they continue to move on to the next step.

I think that the accumulation of these elements creates the expression of the work.

The words "I want to see colors I've never seen before" sounded more like a driving force to continue creating, rather than a goal.

Ando's works may be a scene that emerged along the way.