Studio Artist Residency in Shigaraki, Japan

Dear Ceramicists, Tea Lovers, Arts Supporters, and Friends,

I have been selected to be a resident artist at Shigaraki Ceramic Cultural Park in Shigaraki, Japan from October to December 2024.

I hope to meet this opportunity with confidence and humility, to bring my interest and experience making ceramic teaware in the Pacific Northwest to a place that represents an origin of my influences culturally and aesthetically. I am ready, too, to be completely transformed by the new influences I may find there.

Shigaraki is the site of one of the six ancient anagama kilns in Japan. I am involved with several wood-fired kilns in the PNW that are derived from a lineage that has origins there and the opportunity to experience the living history directly and to be exposed to the contemporary happenings in the teaware and ceramics worlds in this part of Japan is truly overwhelming.

I will make a body of work there with the local materials, meet and work with local artisans, and fire one or several contemporary kilns during my time in Shigaraki. I believe this will expand my scope of experience and deepen the foundations of my work. I will then bring this work back home to the PNW and share my experience with the communities whom have been supporting my work here. I am sure this experience will influence my making indefinitely into my future.

I am working now to secure support in the form of grants and this crowdsource campaign adding to $20,000.

Costs Breakdown:

$2000 for flight and travel costs - MET and PAID

$9000 for per diem expenses ($100 x 90 days) ($35 per diem MET)

$750 for the studio fee - MET

$350 for the dormitory fee - MET

$900 for materials and tools - MET

$1000 for kiln fire costs - MET

$500 for packing and shipping work back home - MET

$3000 to cover rent back home while I'm away - MET

$2500 (stretch goal) to travel within Japan, visit museums in Tokyo, collect Japanese pottery, etc.

Thank you very much for you support!

Jonathan