Yutaka Nakashima

Yutaka Nakashima
Ceramic Art (Pottery)
Ms. Nakashima studied graphic design at technical college, since she wanted a career in design. While working in a signboard company, she privately started to learn at pottery class, because she had been interested in previously. Then, in her mid-30's, she set her heart on becoming a ceramic artist. After that, she worked for a pottery glaze manufacturer for a few years, and she creates art works which utilize her broad-ranging knowledge of glazes.
Brief Personal History
2009-Set up her home studio in Gifu Prefecture
2009-2011Worked for a glaze manufacturing company
2009Graduated at Aichi Prefectural Ceramic Higher Technical College
1991-1993Nippon Designer Gakuin, Hiroshima, Dept. of Graphic Design
1972Born in Hiroshima Prefecture
Exhibitions
2012 Itami International Craft Exhibition
2012 The Fourth Modern Tea Ceramics Exhibition
2009 Kobe Biennale Modern Ceramic Art Competition

Story

Ms. Nakashima is skilled at using a motorized potter's wheel. Many people associate potter's wheels with making pottery containers. However, her passion is making a different sort of ceramic item. With respect to her collaboration with Japanique, her pieces serves as both interior accessories and art objects. Her most popular item is a ring stand, shaped like a ceramic hat. Put your favorite rings on it as decorations so you can see them more fascinatingly.
Production Process
Skillful use of hands and fingers to form clay on a motorized wheel
Clay may have different regional characteristics, but the production process behind ceramic art is very similar all over the world. Clay is basically made up of powdered rock and sand: the artistic process consists of clay forming, bisque firing, pattern sketching, glazing, firing, painting and then firing. There are a variety of techniques for forming clay, but Ms. Nakashima uses a motorized wheel. She puts a lump of clay on the wheel, and skillfully forms and shapes it with her fingers and hands, creating the art work little by little. At first sight, the ring stand looks like a solid piece of clay, but the inside is actually hollow. The artist makes it slightly thick at the base, making adjustments with her fingertips.
*Different raw materials are used for pottery and porcelain. The basic material for pottery is clay, whereas porcelain uses a type of kaolin clay called toseki. Pottery is fired at a lower temperature than porcelain. It feels almost warm to the touch and makes a dull sound when struck. Porcelain is white in color, feels smooth and makes a crisp metallic sound when struck. Ms. Nakashima uses clay and makes potteries.
Color combinations which evoke both Japan and the West
Forming and shaping clay with a motorized wheel is not just a matter of making a base from a lump of pottery clay. Once the clay is dry, whittling the surface down is also an important part of the process. Then comes the decoration of the finished base by painting it with glaze mixed by the artist herself. The tint of the glaze changes slightly depending on the mixing ratio, but for these works she has been careful to use pastel colors which match the interiors of European or American houses. This combination also evokes the traditional Japanese kimono and obi (wide belt band for kimono).
The artisan pares down the surface of the base after it has dried, and gives it a smooth finish so it is easy to use as a ring stand.
Mixing the glaze. The artist makes the glaze, mixing it with paste.
Painting the glaze on with a brush. The color does not change from the way it looks before firing.

Products    
All items are made-to-order.

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