Akiko Hirai Ceramic Bowl, 2014

11" diameter x 3.5" high

Akiko Hirai draws upon traditional Japanese methods when making her ceramics. Her work is a fusion of Japanese and British ceramic traditions. She uses the technique of allowing the clay to show how it wants to be fired. Her pieces are deeply textured and her forms are those of work ware – simple and satisfying. She uses coarse dark clay, creating a veil between the rough forms underneath and the smooth calm of the glazed exterior. Once fired, the chemical impurities of the underlying clay create subtle, often unpredictable, areas of colour and shade that can be glimpsed through the whiteness. She welcomes the sense of ambiguity this produces. Akiko studied at The University of Westminster and subsequently Central St Martins, she currently works as Head of Ceramics in Kensington and Chelsea College. Her studio forms part of The Chocolate Factory N16 in Stoke Newington.