"Ceramic art is very close to people. Being able to touch and use ceramics is very appealing." Natsumi Noda on her production process and future plans
People and food are deeply involved in the origin of Ms. Noda's production.
How were her works born, and how are they changing?
We would like to talk to you in three parts, one for each theme.
In this third installment, we ask about the production process and future developments.You can read other installments below.
First part of Interview: Natsumi Noda talks about the process of creating her artwork: "Communication with people at the dining place is the starting point of my work."
"If I make it more efficient, I don't enjoy the production myself,
I think it would make things less interesting."
Please tell us about the production process.
ー I would like to know about the production process. It takes a long time to produce each piece by hand, doesn't it?
Yes, I have done this before, but I am not sure how long it will take to complete. Both Noda Natsumi and Imustan are all made using the hand-forming technique, so it takes time.
It takes time to think about the design, and it also takes time to paint, and the painted part and the surrounding rim are all glazed with different brushes, so it takes a lot more time than I expected.
It takes about two months to produce only about 20 pieces.
People tell me it's not efficient.
I think that if I were to be efficient, I wouldn't be able to enjoy the production process and things would become less interesting.
However, I hope to work on such a line in the future.
Using molds, they are easy to pick up and inexpensive. I hope that those who pick up our products for the first time will start with such items as a gateway, and gradually become familiar with Imustan and Noda's line.
ー You produce everything by yourself, don't you?
I do the entire process by myself: molding, unglazing, painting, glazing, and firing.
ー Is it something you would like the person you purchased it from to use?
I thought so at first, since the concept was also a place for eating, but now I am not so concerned about it, since some people want to display them.
Especially for Noda ("Natsumi Noda" line), when I started working as an artist, I received a request to hang the plates on the wall as a measure against earthquakes, so now I have a string that can be threaded through the back of the plate for display.
If the plates are placed in a cupboard, they will all break if there is damage, so hanging them on the wall prevents damage when it shakes and also protects the plates since they do not need to be stacked.
It depends on the customer, about 50-50. Some use it a lot, and others enjoy displaying it.
"The thing about crafts and ceramics is that you can touch and use them,
I think it's very attractive. "
What are your future plans?
ー What are your plans for the future?
For example, glazes are now based on simple formulations, and my main focus is on painting, so I hope to be able to play with glazes as well.
I have a series of reliefs that I produced this time, and I imagine that if I can make interesting formulations with glazes, they will be even more expressive.
The Noda line is currently the same color all over, but I would like to experiment more with materials to create a different look.
Also, as I mentioned earlier, I get many of my motifs from fabrics, so I am thinking that it would be interesting to use my own plant motifs again on fabrics.
ー Textiles.
ー Any last words?
I think that crafts are a field that is very close to people.
We can actually use them, and they are more affordable than paintings or sculptures. I feel that ceramics, in particular, is a material that allows you to express your awareness and thoughts more easily through the hands, since we touch the clay directly with our hands while creating.
That is why I myself am able to enjoy making the pieces by interacting with the texture of the clay, the motifs of the painting, and the changing glaze. I believe this is also something that both Noda and Imustan have in common.
And I hope that the enjoyment and fun of the work will work to brighten the daily lives of those who hold it in their hands, even if only a little.
ー Thank you for sharing so many interesting stories with us.
Since July 2023, LUCKYRECORDS has been selling the works of "Natsumi Noda/Imustan". The lineup includes mugs, goblets, café au lait bowls, and other new series. Please take this opportunity to pick one up.