The "Jewelry" series, born from the wish to create ceramics like gemstones.
The silver in the glaze, once fired in the kiln forms itself into thousands of fine silver balls.
Scattering themselves across the surface of these pieces, shimmering gently like stars of the night sky, whilst pooling at the bottom of the well, creating larger drops.
The creation of jewelry-grade ceramics.
I announced the "jewelry" series, in 2002 at my very first solo exhibition, one year after the first "Jewelry" pieces were developed back in 2001,
while I was a still student, in my second year studying ceramics.
Since my student years, I have always found myself entranced by glazes.
My days were spent in the glaze room. Experimenting, creating one test piece after another.
Many mistakes were made, but numerous glazes were born from these mistakes.
"Jewelry" is such a case.
One day, I was sat, staring at one of my "failed" test pieces, when I noticed tiny silver speckles glinting in one of the corners.
I experimented, altering the proportions of the glaze and found that the movement of the silver speckles could be controlled.
Thus, "Jewelry" was born.
Circumstances contrive to make the creation of these pieces a rarity, it may be the first time for many to see them.
I hope you enjoy.
-Ryota Aoki, Potter.