I’m Akiko Tao, and I have been working as a potter for 40 years. Living independently in a nature-rich town in Japan, I spend most days making pottery. The clay I use is prepared from raw soil, blended with mountain sand and other natural materials. Because I work with a traditional kicking wheel, I feel that the clay carries a unique softness in its expression. For my glazes, I create mixtures using stove ash, feldspar, and straw ash. I work with Oribe glaze, amber glaze, and ruri glaze, each of which is enriched by the minerals they contain. Through my work, I hope you can feel both the softness and the strength of the forms, as well as the beauty of the glazes.