STORY — handmade RSS

“ I am a Scottish ceramic artist based in Shonan Kamakura. As a way to more deeply connect with my natural and cultural environment I began to learn about Japanese antique ceramics and also the process of making pottery myself. Coming from a fashion and textile background I have always been obsessed with texture and surface pattern. Making clothing patterns also relates to the 3D nature of making forms in clay. I am currently drawn to making organic forms and using hand moulding techniques. Current inspirations are Momoyama period pottery such as Oribe and Raku yaki Chawans created using the tebineri technique. I try to offer my own perspective through my work whilst blending Japanese and British influences. The aim...

One of my female heroes, not just in the world of pottery but as a life role model. The stories of her read like a Japanese folk tale, full of hardship and lessons to be learned. To me her bold abstract art reflects her courageous and free spirit. In the Edo period many women artists were successful in areas such as poetry and painting but their works often followed the rules set by male predecessors. Going against the norm, Rengetsu created her own style in pottery and became famous for it. Born an illegitimate child of a Geisha and a Samourai, Rengetsu was given to the Otagaki family to be brought up in the buddhist temple Choin’in in Kyoto. She...