When I met Charlotte, I felt it would be a shame to simply document her pottery life. When she mentioned “Ikigai,” I sensed a deeper connection between her life and pottery. She gardens and plays the viola, and I started to wonder if there was a deeper connection between these different parts of her life and her pottery skills.
When she throws pottery, I feel like she is bringing new life or a soul into the clay. I feel the same sense of creation when she plants new things in her garden.
Also, when she plays the viola, I can see the connection between her delicate hand skills in pottery and the way she plays the viola. The same sensitivity and precision she uses when shaping clay and making pot handles with Akebia can be seen in her viola playing.
“Ikigai” is a Japanese concept that means “a reason for being” or “a purpose in life.” It represents the idea of finding meaning and fulfillment through the things you love, the skills you develop, and the connections you create throughout your life.
In the end, I realised that her pottery is not just about making objects. The things she creates become part of her everyday life and bring people together. Seeing her share a meal in the garden with her five grandsons, using the pieces she made with her own hands, made me understand her Ikigai. It is about finding joy and meaning through what she creates and the people she shares it with.
Charlotte and John.
Thank you for all your support for this project.