I’m kicking off 2026 with what promises to be an incredibly exciting adventure! I’m heading to Shigaraki for my second visit to Japan, this time to spend two months as an artist in residence at Shigaraki Culture Park. I feel incredibly fortunate to have received this invitation and to have the chance to live and work there for an extended period of time.
Shigaraki is an old pottery town about an hour from Osaka and one of the six oldest kiln sites in Japan. With a history of working in clay that stretches back hundreds of years, the town now hosts a ceramic museum and a sculpture park. It feels like a place where tradition and contemporary practice exist in quiet conversation.
During the residency, I’ll have access to a studio to develop a new body of work. Being away from my usual studio environment is something I really value — it creates space to slow down, to experiment, and to follow ideas I might not otherwise explore. I’m hoping this time in Shigaraki will help generate new ideas, reinvigorate my making, and open up new directions in my work.
The outcome of my time in Shigaraki will be shared in an exhibition at the gallery of Shigaraki Culture Park.
I am planning to post regularly about my journey on Instagram - wish me luck! ;-)