Touching the earth, giving birth to form, and entrusting it to the flame.
The act of making begins as a quiet dialogue, and gently, life comes to dwell within the work.
Holding the memories that have endured through time, it becomes like an antique where past and present softly overlap each time it is touched.
His vessels carry the feeling that a long story is just about to begin.
He first encountered pottery when he happened to join a club during his university days. The clay he was handed at that time, which could be considered a coincidence, became the center of his life before he realized it. He was engrossed in his work, and his university life entered its seventh year. For Abe, each moment may have seemed like a detour, but each moment was an essential run-up.
After graduating, he moved to Kasama City, Ibaraki Prefecture, a land of earth and fire, to study pottery and set up a studio.
" What I value is simply being courteous. If there are two options, A and B, I generally choose the more troublesome option."
He distances himself from efficiency and shortcuts and instead chooses time-consuming processes. Each of these choices gives the vessels depth and is reflected in their tranquility. Simplicity is by no means easy...the vessels seem to speak eloquently of this fact.
The rhythm calls to mind the patterns of woven cloth, with a slight fluctuation born from the repetition. The form, inspired by ancient European pottery, harbors timeless memories, while the patterns depicted therein are somehow modern and exude a dignified air. The lines and colors are drawn without hesitation into the pared-down shapes. This contrast gives the vessels a definite presence.
The inspiration for the lemon motif, one of his signature pieces, comes from the creator's own childhood memories.
" There are countless motifs for painting, but I wanted something that connected to my roots." 
When I returned to my hometown in the Setouchi region, I came across olive trees and lemons growing in the sea breeze. I decided to gently transfer this simple yet powerful scene, which I always take for granted, onto a vessel.
The designs, which are somehow both nostalgic and new, overlap with the memories of each user and seem to bring a little story to the dinner table. 
The times when you use this dish don't have to be special. Placing bread on it in the morning light, pouring soup at dusk... these ordinary moments become a little deeper and richer. It will gently shape the contours of your life and gently guide you to moments filled with quiet poetry.
Abe Shintaro's tableware can be found here
