Page 10 - homestyle New Zealand (February - March 2020)

EDITOR’S NOTE

There’s something humbling about being
welcomed into a creative workplace. Filled
with materials and pieces in progress,
workshops and studios are by nature messy
and there’s rarely any point in tidying up for
a visitor, so when I’m in the position of being
said visitor, I feel privileged to be able to see
the real work, ideas and life behind the scenes.
I found the prospect of this particularly
thrilling when I was invited to interview
artisans in Oita, a prefecture on Kyushu,
Japan’s third-largest island, located in the
south-west of the country. With the help of
a local expert, I put together an itinerary that
would take me to see a host of local makers
— some well known and others I’d scouted
out myself.
When, like me, you’re a part-time potter
and have observed the production of another
ceramic artist’s work halfway around the world
via the powers of Instagram, entering that
ON THE ROAD IN OITA: person’s studio and having them generously

share their methodology with you induces
something akin to a fan-girl moment. Visiting
Hiroyuki Usami of Usukiyaki was a highlight
among the many highlights of my trip that
saw me introduced to ancient methods of
textile printing, the skills required to split
bamboo, and a young couple who have taken
a leap of faith and opened a backpacker hostel
in an old samurai town.
The artists and craftspeople whose work
we’ve shared in this issue’s Design Destination
feature were chosen because their approach
resonates with homestyle’s values; each has
made a career for themselves that champions
an entrepreneurial spirit and centres on
sustainable practices. Turn to page 126 to
meet them yourself.

Alice Lines, @alice.lines

10 homestyle