The beauty of simply being there, and the warmth that welcomes everyone. We spoke to Ms. Sanae Higuchi, a potter in Mashiko Town, Tochigi Prefecture, about her work.
Ms. Sanae Higuchi's works evoke emotions that soak into your heart, just like when you see a beautiful painting. Breathtakingly delicate and precise brushstrokes. Deep colors created by varying shades. You look closely at the details and sigh again... These are wonderful dishes that you will discover something new every time you look at them. She uses Japanese painting brushes made from Kolinsky or raccoon hair to allow for delicate painting. When she changed paintbrushes, she said she had so much fun that she ended up putting too much paint on them.
"I create my works with the hope that I can provide even a little bit of positive experience in people's daily lives," says Ms.Higuchi.
The interplay between "use and beauty." That's what he told us about the charm of pottery. "Beauty of utility" is a phrase that art critic and thinker Yanagi Muneyoshi extolled, saying that the simple everyday utensils created by artisans are beautiful precisely because they are used as tools. Mashiko is also the place where Hamada Shoji, a potter and central member of the Mingei movement, had his kiln and made it his final residence. It is in this place where that spirit lives on that Higuchi creates pottery every day.
"The process of transforming a lump of clay into the shape you imagine is interesting and fun. However, most of the work and steps involved are other than that, so I think most people might find it difficult," says Ms. Higuchi.
When creating his works, he rarely looks at specific ceramic works for reference, but rather expands on the images that come to mind after reading books, watching movies, or listening to music.
It has a gentle texture and a slightly rough feel that is unique to earthenware. It blends in with the delicate and elegant flower painting, creating a soft impression.
"The surface of the pottery is the result of the action of both the engobe (a white muddy substance) applied to the base and the glaze. I wanted to create a white that was not inorganic, but had the depth and softness of earth, so I mixed it through trial and error."
"I feel that attention to expression and texture is ultimately just self-satisfaction, so I would be happy if people who look at it or use it have various thoughts, such as ``I like it for some reason,'' or ``Conversely, it's not my preference,'' says Ms. Higuchi.
She answers each and every question in easy-to-understand terms, and her kindness always warms my heart. her works, which has a delicate elegance and is considerate of the user's feelings, makes daily life richer.
See more of Ms. Sanae Higuchi's work here 