I visited Asako Okamura's wonderful workshop where the gentle light shines!
Okamura Kobo is located in Hiratsuka City, Kanagawa Prefecture, in the midst of a quiet rural landscape.
On the day I visited the workshop, which is located on a hill in the Dekinawa district, I could see the warm fields and the refreshing greenery of the trees through the large windows. It's a calm space that makes you feel relieved even if you remember it now.
“I heard that there was a famous sculptor in Dekinawa, and a group of young people who resonated with his creation and worked with him. My father was one of them.”
The place where the current studio is located is where these young artists used to stay and do their creative work. It became the shape of Mr. Okamura is active as an artist while running a pottery class at this studio with his father, Akio, and his younger brother, Mr. Tomotaro, who is also a potter.
6 potter's wheels. Ample work space.
It is a space where you can feel the slow flow of time.
Ms. Okamura's work room. You will also be healed by the calm scenery from the spacious windows.
From an early age, she would go to her mother's modeling class and enjoy drawing and creating things, but to be honest, she wasn't really interested in pottery because it was too familiar to her. Ms. Okamura was such a person, but while studying design at Musashino Art University's Department of Crafts and Industrial Design, he came to think that ``I really want to use my hands.'' After graduating from university, he started pottery, acquired a teacher's qualification and became an art teacher.
“Even though I became a teacher, I was not very good at giving marks to art.
I became independent about two years ago after various timings overlapped. He said he now thinks the decision was right.
“Once you make up your mind, things move,” said Mr. Okamura with a gentle smile.
Works with a gentle impression that make you feel relaxed and warm, just like Mr. Okamura's atmosphere.
The soil uses Shigaraki soil. It is produced with the intention of making the most of the texture of the soil.
The plate is made of heat-resistant soil, so it seems to be resistant to heat. (* Cups are not heat-resistant soil.)
Put red iron on a melamine sponge and press it like a stamp.
Because it is baked by reduction firing, it gives a fluffy and rich impression.
This is a lovely design that takes advantage of the color of the base material.
It is made with the idea that you can feel a little richer in your daily life.
In the future, he said that he would like to mainly make things that bring out the individuality of each piece.In addition to ceramics, he also wants to try various things, such as applying designs to cloth. I'm looking forward to seeing more of your work!
Click here for Asako Okamura's work 