[Ceramic artist: Interview with Takashi Shinohara Part 1] In harmony with nature

-----First, please tell us how you first encountered pottery. -----

I have been involved with pottery since I was a child.

My mother used to make pottery objects, so we had a lot of pottery at home.

Some of my mother's collection was made by her herself, while others she liked and bought from somewhere, so even at a young age I was able to come into contact with a wide variety of pottery.

As I looked at various pottery pieces every day, I began to get an idea of what I wanted to make myself.

I think it was around that time that I started aiming to become a potter.

-----You grew up surrounded by things you loved. You must have seen a lot of pottery, but what do you consider to be the ideal pottery? ----- 

For me, the ideal piece is one that conveys the maker's thoughts when you pick it up.

When I was a student, I had the opportunity to come into contact with pottery from the Momoyama period.

At that moment, I had a strange feeling.

It gave me a nostalgic impression, or perhaps it brought back fond memories.

The artist of the piece was unknown, but I felt as if the maker's thoughts were being conveyed through the piece.

Even after 400 years, thoughts can still be conveyed through objects.

I thought that vessels are amazing.

I think that was when I decided on my ideal vessel.

-----That's a wonderful story. So, is there anything you pay particular attention to when creating the ideal dish? -----

I try to enjoy myself when I make pottery.

As I mentioned earlier, I believe that objects contain the thoughts of the person who made them.

Therefore, I believe that if I am not enjoying myself, I will not be able to impress my customers.

-----Do you have any particular preferences for your workshop? -----

In fact, the studio I'm using now has been used by generations of potters. I think I'm the fourth generation.

So it's designed to be easy to use.

Even so, I've made various changes to the interior to help me create more efficiently.

For example, I changed the arrangement of tools and the flow of movement to suit me.

I also care about how the light gets in.

I want to create vessels that look beautiful in a variety of environments.

-----It seems to me that your works have a strong sense of the texture and feel of the clay itself, precisely because you have been working with pottery for so long. Are there any other clay-related things you are particular about? -----

I think the soil is the most important thing.

Even if you think you are using the same soil, the properties can change depending on the depth of the layer and the time of harvest.

So I always check the condition of the soil.

Currently, I work backwards from the final image I have in mind and blend five to six types of clay to create my pieces.

The main material used is red, rough soil.

We also add soil containing iron, and sometimes beat the soil to make it finer.

We make adjustments every day to achieve the ideal expression.

-----The earth has a truly deep mystery. Where do you get your inspiration for your work? -----

I often get inspiration from nature.

Every day I think about pottery while observing nature.

I hope to be able to express not only shapes and colors, but also the atmosphere of nature.

I have seen several pieces of pottery that have been loved throughout the ages, and each one has a unique atmosphere.

I think that atmosphere probably comes from the fact that it has harmonised with nature over time.

I realized that even things made by humans can become in harmony with nature over time.

I want to express this atmosphere well.

-----This time you created a Mishima tea bowl, but what made you decide to create a Mishima? -----

To be honest, I wanted to create something that was uniquely my own.

Up until now, I have been trying to create things that can be accepted by a variety of people and in a variety of environments.

In the midst of all this, I suddenly wanted to create something that would truly express my individuality.

The reason I decided to take on this challenge was to express my own individuality using Mishima tea bowls, which I love.

The second half will be released tomorrow.