Crafted By Hand with my witch-crafted hand

Some of you might have seen the image of my finger on my facebook (personal one only, and I’ll avoid showing it here to the public!) I had an occupational injury at work on Friday and ended up in A&E in an almost fainted state. My “flesh” was half fallen off my finger tip after trapping it in between the hinge side of fire door! (yes, those heavy ones!) Fortunately (dispite the unfortunate trauma!) without breaking the bone or finger nail, my finger tip was stitched back together into one piece. Hence it was a wee bit of a struggle with last minute of preparation including packing and loading with my poorly finger, but we went off to the show in Masham with my kind hub’s support. 

Crafted By Hand was a great turn out. The town hall was heaving from the opening till the end. Lots of great work and nice people. We really had a good time. I had good sale both my new work and stock, as well as HELP JAPAN birds. Thank you so much for those who came along and left me lovely comments. Here are some images from my stall. 

porcelain hangings are out now ready for Christmas 

(I was intrigued by the hall’s gorgeous wall paper behind)

new porcelain rocking pebbles

these vases are mazekoze’s new face

ugly ducklings waiting for a new home

new hanetsubo ‘flying jugs’ went flying well today

how about wee bit of buttons?

I’ve met so many talented artists too. Here are some lovely people and work that I’d like to share. 

Fabulous printmaker Helen Peyton was demonstrating printing using this handsome 1800 Victorian press. How awesome is that? 

My fellow artist Emma Fountain displayed her skillful of needle felt work. The scale of her work is just amazing. I’ve bought a gorgeous felt accessory to treat myself. 

Very stylish etched glasses were by Andy Poplar from vinegar & brown paper. Absolutely wicked combination of typography and glass shape was just so wow! We’ve got a lab glass for this year’s sloe gin. 

Have you missed today? A few more fairs are coming up next month, so stay tuned for more info. xm 

Crafted By Hand - this Sunday!

Crafted By Hand is on this Sunday 28th October at Masham Town Hall. (The direction is here) I’m delighted to have a stall among with these great artists! All series of my work and print will be there, as well as the last stock of HELP JAPAN items with a special discount. So don’t miss this chance! 

If you would like an invite posted, please email me your name and address.

Looking forward to seeing you.xm 

weekend ahead

For the last couple days I haven’t been well enough to go to work, not much of physical moving involved, hence a wee bit of delay on my studio work, too. Looking at the things came out of the kiln, I thought I would take some photos to cheer me up so that I can look forward to the day I can work on decorating these porcelain lilypads. Hopefully soon. Hope you have a good weekend. xm

Creative Masham

Lately I have been featured in Creative Masham blog with a bit of sneak shot of my studio. You can view from here. Simple and short - nicely done. (thank you Josie!) 

They are organising the forthcoming event, Crafted By Hand, where I will be holding a stall. According to what it said in the blog, they will serve tea and cakes, which I think is unmissable! All sounds good so far, I just have to catch up with the preparation for Sunday 28th! (the image is from Masham by the way) xm 

HULL

I am currently working toward several forthcoming events and shows, including Studio Eleven in Hull. I have never been to Hull before but liked the way they are developing the water front into a cultural hub. Images are near the gallery, which used be a fruit market. xm 

a little red bird told me...

A little red bird told me that 20’s is a new beginning, and it certainly was for me after an unsound teenage era and discovering myself in the UK. Also said, 30’s is a new 20’s and it certainly was for me, even passing some rough times, it has been a brilliant journey. So, does life start at 40? (your thoughts & experience welcome!)

i can still happily fool myself

Looking back my mother at the age and all those friends who have got children, I feel like I am not mature enough to be a big 40. But all I can say is LIFE IS GOOD. GREAT in fact! Look forward to what’s coming along. 

mini maki (3) and the best mother in the world

Thank you everyone for the lovely birthday wishes via FB and elsewhere. Not that I am a big fan of celebration stuff, though it is always nice to hear from friends and family. 

There was another celebration this week. Graduation ceremony! I've finally received BA. My goodness, I never thought that I would make this day, after having failed to go to University when I was 18. You know it’s never too late to learn and we are always learning. This is a big fact. 

I've also received a special award! (with Ed, my hero tutor)

So many people helped me be here and be who I am today, and I am so grateful for that. Thank you so much for your support. Hope I can share more journeys with you from now on, too. Have a great week everyone! xm

a sense of place

Last week I took ‘a sense of place’ photography workshop by Kat Sloma. Kat lives in Oregon, USA, but thanks to the blogging network, I actually met her in York two years ago (posted here) whilst she was visiting from Italy where she was living at the time for her work assignment. Having a totally different career, Kat’s passion toward photography did not stop her moving forward and today she has been successfully running a number of photography courses. I simply admire her energy as a person. I also love her aesthetics. (look out for her beautiful photography here) When I found the news that Kat was coming to UK to run a workshop (and in Hebden Bridge!!), how could I resist? Of course not! So I went with my NIKON. 

This workshop was particularly set for photographing of places. It was carefully coordinated to work on different criteria, but what I found interesting the most was her approach to photographing places. It is about personal connection to the places, how we experience it and capture it, and reflection of self and place. Not to show off to people, not to convince others to go (though you may feel so as a result!), nothing like travel or documentary photograph. I liked that. As we went off to practice in the afternoon out in the woods at Hardcastle Crags, I simply followed my heart. Just feel & shoot. It was rather wet walk but lovely to feel Autumn is on its way. Hope some of Kat’s tips are seen in the result?

If you are interested in Kat's online courses, click here for the details. 

Why not photograph your sense of place? xm

PASH

Print. Art. Salvage. Handmade. 

PASH is a breathtaking treasure island and has always been my favourite shop. Since the closure of their shop in Harrogate last year, the fabulous duo owners were readying to fly much further, and finally PASH reopened this Saturday! The new shop near Easingwold (on A19) is absolutely massive that once used to be a flax mill and the way they renovated is, ah... UTTERLY GORGEOUS! I just could not hide a grin on my face. And what’s more…? They are displaying and selling a full series of my 'mazekoze' ceramics and print for the opening. Such fortune to be within this ace space! I am so delighted and excited. 
(please click images to enlarge)

my 'mazekoze' tableware display at PASH

nibbling chocolate from the gorgeous display :) 

full rage of 'mazekoze' available at PASH till the end of October

If you have never been to PASH, now you know you must go go go! xm 

for the direction click here

Mercer is Open

Mercer Gallery, the largest gallery in Harrogate and run by the council, provides the local artists an fantastic opportunity to exhibit their work every summer. This ‘Harrogate Open’ exhibition showcases around 200 selected art work from huge numbers of entries. 

I have applied for the first time this year, with 2 pieces of my porcelain lily pad and mazekoze screen print. I was well chuffed when I heard all of my entries were selected. 

Photography was not allowed so unfortunately I haven’t got any images from the private view. (above is one of my entries) The exhibition is open till 20th January 2013. If you are coming close to Harrogate, please do pop over. Direction to Mercer is here (although its council run gallery, their website does not show it, which is rather strange… so found this instead!) 

Another good news about this lilypad. I only found out this week that one of my favourite blog “A plate a day” has shortlisted my work here! Well chuffed again! 

More exhibition is coming up on the weekend, so will keep you posted. xm 

think before you eat

Somewhat the last minute call I had earlier this week did not meet the expected temptation. Yorkshire Best today was not the best for me. In fact, many other stall holders said the same as there were not much footfall. The Hospitium, the building itself was a beautiful venue right next to Yorkshire museum. What a shame. It was the first event so I guess it was difficult. Oh well, lessons learnt. 

Nevertheless, I have made a good clear out of the old stocks, which is always good, because who wants to look at a pile of old work stuck in the studio for ages whilst trying to move forward? I also received kind contributions toward ongoing HELP JAPAN. Plus, I met a lovely customer who has been seeing my blog for two years! How sweet to meet someone like that! It was also great to meet other artists in person like Helen Peyton the printmaker, whose work I have adored for quite some time. (Check out her website here) Maybe not too bad after all? 

Back home, before preparing for the coming week, I had Julie’s homemade bakewell tart to cheer me up. Always nice to have a friend who can bake well. xm

Sunday Show!

This is a very short notice but I am taking a part of this new event Yorkshire Best on this Sunday 23rd at the Hospitium in York. My new range of ceramics and print are on sale, as well as last stock of HELP JAPAN items. If you are near by, why not popping in? Looking forward to seeing you. xm 

for more info, click here

for direction, click here

Visiting Euan Craig

Whilst we were in Japan, we had a wonderful opportunity to visit someone I always wanted to visit. Today I would like to share the memory of the trip to Euan Craig pottery studio and his family in Minakami, Gunma. 

Euan working on his kick wheel

A master potter Euan Craig is originally from Australia and has been working over 20 years in Mashiko. Mashiko is a well known pottery region in Japan, where Shoji Hamada was based at and became a friend with Bernard Leach. Euan was trained by a Living National Treasure Tatsuzo Shimaoka, who was trained by Shoji Hamada. You may think it is not surprise that he has built a successful career, but what really attracted me wasn’t those great names but his being and sensibility that I deeply felt from his words. 

I first found his blog probably soon after I started mine two years ago. I stopped at his for a while as his beautiful wood fired work caught my eyes. Once started to read his words, it drew me in. When Euan writes about work, it is super informative. Accompanying with images of stunning work, he shares so many great techniques, knowledge and skills that he earned over many years. Such a generous artist who does that so openly. Euan often writes about his life and family too, how the nature connects to us, how much he appreciates it and embraces it. The way he writes is always beautiful and calm. At the same time, strong and courageous. His words are like life lessons or reminders of our being that echos in our soul and stays for good. His wife, Mika also writes Japanese version, which I ultimately familiarise more easily. I soon became an online admirer.  

the stillness in the studio tells story behind how far they come

Since Japan’s great earthquake last year, their life took a huge turn. Not just trying to rebuild his broken kiln and family home in Mashiko, facing unknown fear of radiation from Fukushima nuclear power plant. With children of 4, the Craig family decide to move away from the long nested town Mashiko and started a new life in Minakami, Gunma. Starting out from almost a zero based on Mika’s late uncle’s house, a massive old silk farm in a dilapidated state. One by one. Day after day. Working non stop before winter arrives. Withholding uncertainty of future, they only hoped for family’s safety. I read many episodes on his blog as they went through, and felt sometimes overwhelmed by their strong family bond beyond such a hardship in life. 

welcoming sign of Euan Craig Kiln open!

Just before we set off to Japan, I read Euan has finally restarted his business, after rebuilding his kiln to a stronger structure to stablise from earthquake and all his firing materials are proved to be safe from radiation. It was a good timing. We wanted to congratulate his fantastic start. The craig family’s house stands within a beautiful country side, surrounded by mountains and fresh air. He and his family welcomed us with a great hospitality. 

a new kiln is now working after a long journey

Euan kindly showed us around the house, studio and fantastic kiln he designed and built. Watching him throwing on a kick wheel that used to belong to Shoji Hamanda Pottery studio and given from his grandson Tomoo Hamada, hearing about his techniques and ideas behind the decorations. What a fortunate and soothing sensation it was. In upstairs, a number of his thrown pots were waiting for firing. “These are about a day work” he says, pointing at huge numbers of perfectly thrown and decorated pots. Wow. Beautiful light coming through the window twinkles the texture of kanna on the bowls. I take a deep breath with admiration.

stunning ‘tobi-kanna’ decorations

Among such a dream-like scene, Euan says calmly but surely “I want to live life in a simple way. As much ecological as possible.” There are still lots to do with the house and studio, but he looks back and appreciates happiness of how much they came. “We could not have come this far without all our friends’ support.” His sensibility is so pure and his attitude is so humble. Something I have imagined from his writing, and there he was, such a down to earth and honest man who can simply embrace the life. 

their youngest son surrounded by magic creations in upstairs

Watching their children running around in the garden, I could tell the great comfort in this family home. They must have had a tough and anxious time to get here, too. Mika recalls the journey saying “Many people supported us in a lots of ways. Just kind words when going through hard time helped us keep going.” Must be such a relief for a mother to see children’s smile. 

We have brought back two pieces of his work. One, in particular I love, is this vase. It has a tiny dent on the base, which you wouldn’t notice it if you weren’t told. It survived from the earthquake he said. The little mark of the day we will never forget. I felt as if it was a destiny to survive and to encounter a new life. As if it is a reminder of our nature, beautiful yet harsh, and most importantly an appreciation of our life. Every time I see this vase, I feel like a little bit of purity was shared with a great honour. 

Thank you so much, Euan san, Mika san and family. xm 

You can enjoy his beautiful work and stories here.