Kaori Tatebayashi

Kaori Tatebayashi studied Ceramics both in Japan and at the Royal College of Art. Her whole life has been closely connected with ceramics since she was brought up in a village in Japan known for its fine porcelain and then in Kyoto known for its pottery. Her childhood playground was the local pottery factory where she sat mesmerised, watching the craftsmen throwing. This experience led unconsciously to an understanding of the nature of ceramics, its fragility and permanence and its ability to capture moments in time. Once the clay is fired, time is trapped in the material. Kaori tries to capture the most personal and transient recollections and then seal them with clay into a permanent representation of memory.

Kaori also makes tableware, trying to avoid the temptation to overwork a piece but nevertheless keeping the piece beautiful and yet able to embrace its function. Silk printing techniques are often applied to the forms for an added sensual treat.