Craftswoman

Tell us something interesting about yourself.
I’m a lifestyle product designer who works with ceramics and textiles. My family ran a pottery business when I was younger, and that was when my love for pottery started. When I was studying in Japan, I majored in textile design instead of pottery, because the pottery department was very strict and didn’t allow me to use colourful glazes for traditional Japanese pottery. Using colours was unconventional to the practice, but I love colours too much to give them up!

Three famous people, living or dead, that I want at my fantasy dinner party:
Nara Yoshitomo, Yayoi Kusama, and Andy Warhol .

One skill I’d love to master:
Woodwork, so I that am able to build shelves for my studio.

Funniest thing that happened to me recently:
I displayed one of my large 1.5m pots outside my studio in Tiong Bahru, and it went missing. After posting the incident on social media, my friends shared the post and the pot reappeared in the same spot two weeks later. I wonder where it went but I’m glad it came back! 

What inspires me:
Handcrafted works where I can really feel the soul of the maker. My favourite products are my handcrafted ceramic pots, as I feel the happiest when I’m making them.

What’s the inspiration behind your designs?
The bag that I’m carrying today is from my brand, Polkaros, and it’s inspired by the Japanese Kokeishi doll. I also create pots and ceramic goods that are like the Kokeishi—with the body and different patterns.