【FILM】Pottery and Gold powder

Converse with the Circumstance and Materials, Create with Grace

Magnificent plates that harmonize kimono-like nobleness and heart-warming gentleness.

Ceramic artists, Minoru and Yoriko Hara, run their studio as husband and wife, in the beautiful natural surroundings of Sumiyama Ceramic Village, Uji, Kyoto.

They are an established couple of artists, whose works and tickets for exhibitions are sold out just minutes after the release. 

Without the use of major promotional efforts, their Instagram has attracted the hearts of many people. 

We interviewed the Hara couple and discovered the sources of their creativity.

INDEX

• The story behind the original style of creation
• Being free of the norms and traditions
• Kindei- gold power as an indispensable “supporting player” 
• About creation and materials 
• Stretching the potential of each other

The story behind the original style of creation

At the studio Yoriko paints on the pottery moulded by her husband, Minoru. Although their coordination seems so natural and professional, it was an unexpected incident that led them to work in the studio together.

Minoru, having studied ceramics at an art school, took over this studio from his father.

On the other hand, Yoriko, originally working at an IT enterprise, started her painting career after giving birth to their first child. 

 Their son Kaito was born with severe autism. In caring for the sensitive condition of Kaito, Yoriko has gave up on going back to her office job. When Kaito turned three and started going to a nursery school, Minoru suddenly suggested Yoriko should study painting at an art school for a year. He thought having a painter could expand the potential of the studio that was only just forming back then. All of a sudden, the artistic career of Yoriko started from scratch.

The origin of ideas free of norms and traditions

As for Yoriko’s inspiration for design, it hardly comes from other ceramic works.

Staying at home with her son for most of her time, Yoriko had few chances to visit the exhibitions of other ceramic artists and get inspiration ever since she started painting. Yet as soon as she took up a plate and a brush, the designs emerged as if liberating the hardships and frustrations of everyday life.

Taking the condition as an advantage, she spends most of the time at home getting inspiration from pieces other than ceramics: Kimono fabrics, foreign magazines, plants in the yard, etcetera.

Just like an island away from other civilizations cultivates its unique ecosystem, Yoriko nourishes her own fountain of ideas every day.

Yoriko cheerfully laughs: “Maybe it’s important to set a goal and pursue it through life, but in my case, I am here as a painter because I faced and accepted the conditions following my fate.” She continues to paint every day, hoping to spark cheerful conversations of families at the dining tables.

Yoriko’s sincere and positive attitude towards life, wholeheartedly and flexibly accepting fate, is reflected in the authentic, yet attentive and friendly aura of her works.

Kindei- gold power, as an indispensable “supporting player”

There are quite a few methods for gilding pottery –such as liquid gold and gold powder. 

“Liquid gold” is a kind of glaze that is chemically formed and emits beaming lustre when baked.

On the other hand, “gold power” is ground gold leaf. Translucency and gruffness can be adjusted by the roughness of the particles or the amount of nikawa glue that it is mixed with.

“Gold powder gently stands by any colours and beautifully balances the piece as a whole.”

 Gold power, being a metallic material, may be used as the main actor/ highlight of the works. In the works of Hara couple, however, it humbly shines in harmony with the delicate ceramics and colourful paintings.

Their enthusiastic artistic spirit of thoroughly examining the essence of the materials and maximizing their strengths is truly inspiring.

 It is the diverse values and creativity of artists that expand the potentials of materials.

About creation and materials

At their studio, they combine multiple materials to form pigments by themselves, without relying on a single supplier. 

This practice has been developed because of the bitter experience of being vulnerably influenced by the changes in the quality of the supplied materials. Self-blending enables them to maintain and even improve their ideal core of the material, through re-examining them to complement the minor changes. 

In the presence of the relentless endeavour for creation, the role of materials is not ignorable. It is the honour and simultaneously the responsibility of the material supplier to sustain and pursue the quality of product. This is especially true in the modern age where the collection and production of materials is increasingly unstable.

Stretching the potential of each other

Moulding by Minoru and painting by Yoriko, the coordination of the two, developed throughout the conditions, is not merely the flow of operation. 

“We mutually request crazily tricky techniques because we don’t know each other’s field of expertise so well.” 

Here is their deep trust in each other, stretching out each other’s potential without holding back or compromising the status-quo. 

Minoru, who was originally only shaping, has been inspired by Yoriko to start using gold powder himself.

Ceramic surfaces and humble shine of gold powder are beauty enhanced by each other.

 The origin of the Hara couple’s beautiful works lies in the wonderful artistic spirit and family bond that turns even hardships into positive power to move forward.