"The Creative Process of Ceramic Artist Miyamoto, Who Creates Beautifully Colored Pottery Inspired by Nature.

It's fun, you know. Anyway. I like making things. It's great when people say they want to make something and use it. Like, I get happy and want to make another one. Having the chance to do the job I want to do... I often think how wonderful it must be, day by day. The trigger was Once, when I was young, I used to wander around aimlessly, I've been thinking I'd like to go abroad. And, as for the working holiday thing I once heard something briefly. When I checked, I thought, oh, it might be possible to go. You know, let me just save up a little money, So, I went on a working holiday, but Just before setting off A friend said, "Let's go experience the mountain pass," so, Just made a little something during the mountain pass experience, And then, what was completed arrived, At that time, I didn't think anything of it. I went to New Zealand on a working holiday, but And at the language school, There was a class where we discussed what we wanted to become in the future. And then, at that moment, I What was I thinking? I suddenly feel like becoming a potter, Saying things like wanting to become a potter or artist, or something along those lines, And at that time as well, I didn't really think about becoming anything in particular. Well, I'm back in Japan, And stuff like, I really should get a job, huh? Whenever I think, "Well, I guess I should work..." When I go for interviews, or whenever Well, this company... When I'm asked why I chose it, or something like that, If it's something I like, then I chose this place because I like you. I thought, "That's sincere of you to say it so openly." Since I've always had to work in order to survive, Do what you love. I was thinking it would be nice if it became a job or something like that, At that moment, for no particular reason, suddenly, I've been thinking I'd like to try pottery. Investigate that again as well, Knowing that there is a vocational school there, Saving money to enter another school in Kyoto, After graduation, I'll be working as staff at a ceramics studio. I wonder what exactly triggered it, though. It kept popping up from time to time, you know. From the depths of my heart. So, something like that, I suppose it started when I suddenly felt like trying ceramics. Happy things are, The fact that something I created is being used. The customer happily delighted in it, I like this, I really like it, I'm saying. I'm really happy that you bought it for me. It's also nice to be able to see you using it. If it's a store or something like that, You can see it, can't you, if you go and eat there or something? That makes me incredibly happy when you use it. It feels like I've become one of these kids here, you know? I'm so incredibly happy. It feels just like sending off my own child. I would truly be happy if you could keep performing so well. When I think about what to do with ceramics, It's like being neither too close nor too far away. In my heart, it's someone I really, really like. There are times when going too far actually ends up ruining the cuteness, aren't there? It's not like that—I've always had a soft, lingering affection for you. Just the feeling of being nearby, that's all, It's just about the right distance—neither too close nor too far. Saying "changing jobs" sounds too drastic somehow, In my case, it feels like we're walking together. Something like a team, or like companions, you know? Something like a sense of closeness where we're both putting in effort together, I guess. If you put too much of yourself into everyday utensils and objects, I think it would be inconvenient to use. If you go too far, customers will surely... Hmm, it makes me think it would be inconvenient to use, so That's a bit too much to take in, Considering ease of use, Simply put, in a straightforward manner, I do try not to make the glaze too thick and heavy, but... There are times when I have to step out briefly. If it's something like a mug, then the feel on the lips, for example, Maybe it'd be better to make the plates easier to hold, or something like that? Stacking—will it fit in the cabinet or not? This is an extremely important point, so Whether it can be layered or not, that kind of thing. But if you just keep thinking about that all the time, Because the balance starts to become a bit off, For now, let's set that aside. There are times when I make something I want to create. But the customer found it amusing, because you purchase them and the like I appreciate it. I really love cool colors. It's not so much that I'm moved by warm colors, but rather by cool tones. I've been taken there by my parents since I was young, Going fishing, or just looking at the sea, and so on, I have memories of enjoying things like looking at mountains, Even when I went to New Zealand, I got my scuba diving certification and stuff like that. Something like that, the color of the sea, and so on, The natural color, Turkish blue, also has a greenish tint, so things like the greenery of the mountains, you know, that kind of vibe, I might just be feeling that way myself, I suppose. It seems they like that kind of hue. I will stir it thoroughly. Before each use, stir thoroughly. I'll cut it with scissors. If I compare myself now with who I was when I truly began, There are times when I think, "You've gotten a bit better." And there are times when I really think it's amazing. I feel a little happy in such situations, though. Rather than Kenas, You know, even in kilns, there are cases where things fail when you open them up. I understood that I couldn't put it here. Next time, I'll try doing it a bit more like this, or... There are discoveries such as trying to make the intensity of the delay like this, Thinking it could be useful next time. There's no use worrying about it anymore. Don't you just keep feeling down if you start feeling down? It's because I'm always the one doing the chasing, Stop it. Say you've done well up to here. I praise you and encourage you to keep striving, myself. It's fun, that's all. I like making things. Then, please make it and show it to me. It's nice to hear people say things like "you're cute" or "I want to treat you kindly." It makes me happy, so I'll make another one. Is that about right? I don't really understand what you mean by that motivation. Maybe because it's something I enjoy. If the person who bought my vessel Treating me with such great care and kindness, ...all the way to your child's generation, and even your grandchildren's generation, and so on. If you would kindly use it, It's not like it can last for 100 years or more. If you think that way, then you must make it carefully and thoroughly, don't you? It's like, if I think there's something left, I'd want to put in all my effort to create it. After that, it's really just whatever I personally like, you know. Since it's a job I truly love doing, I truly feel grateful every single day. Whenever the occasion arises, I sometimes think I'm a lucky one, you know. Being able to do the job I want to do... I wonder what a happy life must be like. I feel it every day. I always had things I wanted to do. I've always had this feeling, thinking I wanted to do this or that. Then, once what to do has been decided, Try calculating backwards and save up funds, or something like that, Trying to work for that purpose, or something like that, I thought it was normal, but If someone says they don't have anything they want to do, I kind of don't understand that. There were also periods when I managed with just two straw sandals, and so on. Since I've been working at a company and so on for a long time, Isn't it amazing that you can always do what you love? Work eight hours a day at the company and do your job with all your might, That's actually a really great thing, you know. But if you're asking whether I'm the one actually operating it myself, After all, I'm just one of many employees. How much I've been contributing You're not coming at me that directly, are you? Since such situations had persisted for quite a long time, It feels like the groundwork of life, like the groundwork of a lifetime, you know. That's why there was something like that. Being able to spend 100% of my 24 hours doing what I love, I couldn't help but think, how happy can you possibly be? It's precisely because there were so many periods when I couldn't do it that it's easy to understand just how happy you are right now The contrast is really striking. Young people aren't able to make such a comparison. It might be difficult, though. But if you have something you really want to do, Isn't it really easy to find a reason why you can't do something? But I'm trying to find the reason why I can. Maybe I can do it this way? Maybe I can do it that way? Like that? And don't aim too high; just aim for something within easy reach. thinking about whether it might be possible if I tried it this way, Something like slowly, gradually moving forward, It's really just a gradual, step-by-step kind of feeling, like taking one small step at a time, Since we were moving forward, So if there's something you want to do, I think it might be better to look for the reason why it's possible. Then it becomes fun. What needs to be done will become clear. The glazes I have in my mind, and so on, I would like to bring out more color. and things like not being able to produce exactly what I envision myself, so It's kind of like I want to bring it out a bit, you know? But if you ask me whether the one I'm thinking of now is definitely correct, that's not necessarily true either. Maybe that would be good too when tomorrow comes, or... You might think this could be good too, but It keeps changing every single day, day after day. It changes every day and comes back again and again, and so on, Thinking of all sorts of colors, saying things like, "This one's nice too," and "That one's nice too," and so on, I'm making lots of tests, making lots and lots of them, There were times when, by the time it was done baking, I'd forget what this was supposed to be. Looking at the notebook with a "I see, I see" kind of expression, Something like, at that time, I really wanted to make this kind of thing. Well, there are times when it's different now, you know? But at that moment, I thought it was a bit off. But when I look back at this six months later and think, "What was this all about?" There are times when you might say things like "That's really great," you know? I don't know whether I've caught up or fallen behind. I do make them while hoping that the people who use them will smile, though. I made it thinking I'd like you to have fun and be happy.