Ceramics

My work is a composition of the narratives from generations before me and my experiences as a third culture kid in the US. These two functional pieces hold sentimental value and embody nostalgic significance as a way to share my narrative as an Asian American. My parents immigrated twice – first to Japan and then to the US. I grew up in an ethnic enclave in Texas where a majority of my peers were children of Asian immigrants. Sake sets remind me of evenings after dinner when my dad relaxed after a long day at work, sipping Chinese liquor from sake cups he brought from Japan. Clay pots remind me of the same vessels my mom braises sukiyaki and hongshaorou to make us a hearty dinner. The Bamboo Bottle and Cup is a piece tributed to my father - a message for him to rest well after decades of breadwinning toil. The Inverse Peony Donabe (clay pot) is a love letter to my mother - honoring the affection she shared with us through her cooking and elevating a traditionally utilitarian object.