Philippa Gordon

The current dish range is based on nostalgia for Japan, where Tokyo was home for three years in my early twenties. I have maintained my connection to Japan through studying and teaching the language, love for Japanese food and maintaining long distance friendships in Japan. I reflect on culinary traditions, the connection to seasonality and the way food is presented and shared in a contemporary sense.

Japanese aesthetics, revering simplicity and nature inspire me, as does the Shinto and Buddhist philosophy that is inseparable from all that is Japanese. The dish range began with a small dish gifted to me in Japan. Essentially my work is a cross pollination of cultural themes that relate to identity and sense of place.

I experiment with creating particular patterns that have specific associations for me. Often these relate to Japanese motifs seen in traditional artworks, printed fabrics and papers. I enjoy the act of creating arrangements that are aesthetically pleasing and the calming effect of repetitive patterns that can be juxtaposed with seemingly unrelated designs. Local botanical impressions seek to capture a moment in time whilst revering our natural beauty. Colour is an important aspect of the work as colours evoke powerful connections and responses. The glaze colour palette mimics colours in the local coastal environment where plant life and atmosphere changes are observed throughout the seasons.

Each piece is handmade from a selection of stoneware clays for maximum durability and the glazes are mixed by hand. The range is versatile in function, eclectic in nature, elegant, unique and collectable. The pieces stand alone as an object revered or compliment each other through juxtaposing forms, colours and textures. The work is stamped with 3 symbols: The cherry blossom stands for how fleeting life is, the letter P represents the artist and the kanji for dish in Japanese represents the inspiration from traditional Japanese dishes.