Ceramics by Chikako Kojima
The thing about any category of design is the fact that you can’t just stroll up and start making, well you can but not with any real authority. Any maker with substance has a particular aesthetic or concept that they follow, and this is possibly the thing you can’t “learn”, it’s something that happens through the hands and fingers of the craftsman. Natural Subtleties are something that I’m always looking for when I view works, and is something that I’d like to achieve in my own work in the future. Saying that, I know it’s not something that comes with just time itself, you also have to mix in a lot of practice and work ethic to become wiser and more knowledgeable about your own goals.
One such ceramist that caught my attention was Chikako Kojima, a potter who works with clay in New York city. Most of her pieces are thrown on the wheel, but somehow she’s able to translate a lot of the handmade intricacies in to her own work. Not only that but she’s also very talented at being creative with function, one such example is the Silo sugar pot (5th image from the top) which is shaped like a small hut or building. I love the idea that you can use the rooftop to split the vessel and take some sugar, it also has a nice window for a spoon to sit in, so the characteristics are not only easy on the eye but they also stem from a functional thinking.
I picked out some of my personal favourites, but you’ll find more vessels on Chikako’s website via the link below. I made sure that I subscribed to her blog (you should too!) to keep up to date with new objects that she makes and other exhibitions that she’s involved with. Currently it looks like most of the shops and galleries that she works with are in Japan, but I’m sure if you emailed you could get hold of these lovely items for your own collection. Enjoy!