Midori Takaki - Fantasia, Kyobashi, Tokyo

Hello! We are in a bullet train on the way back to Tokyo from Kyoto. It has been very hot, 30C every day.

Since we left Canterbury on the 13th, it had been hectic until we arrived at Kyoto for a short break. We had to get up at 3:50, at Heathrow airport hotel. Our plane arrived just after 6 at Haneda airport, Tokyo, on the 15th. Then we did setting up for the exhibition on the 16th, and the opening day on the 17th. We wanted to travel and to stay in Kanazawa for two nights after that, but all hotels were booked in the city when we searched for any available rooms the night before; we didn't have time to do in advance. So we made three day trips instead; to Sendai, Kaazawa and Nagano. Tiring, but very enjoyable. Then we went back to the gallery on Saturday. I met old friends including primary and secondary school friendwho I have not met about 35 years.

There were so many visitors last Saturday. I am sorry if I was unable to say hello to you.

The exhibition started nicely. Several pieces have gone to loving homes. I had pleasure to see lovely Korean ceramic artist Kim who visited CAL last year, again.

Two Japanese art magazines featured my exhibition. That was nice.

I will be in the gallery on the 31st and 3rd.

Preparing for an exhibition in Tokyo

Midori Takaki
Fantasia
17 May -  3 June 2016

Kyobashi, 2-10-10, Chuo-ku Tokyo 

Silver Shell Gallery

It has been very hectic since CAL. We both got tonsillitis, and then there was the worst part of the construction to bear. We were stressed out. However the show must go on. 

Here are some images of making work for the exhibition. 

Bisque firing

Finally Mike cut a damged kiln shelf to two. 

Whilst waiting for the larger pieces to dry, I made these ones. Animals in Japan. They are not real animals, but those that live in our minds and daily life. You see them in shop windows and shrines in Japan 

Animals in Japan

It was difficult to schedule firings as I was unable to fire for sevearal days due to the building work. It was a frustrating peiod.  

Glaze firing

Animals in Japan, Manekineko, Oinari-san and Monkey will be in Tokyo. 

Animals in Japan

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My Etsy shop remains open, but please be aware that next posting date will be the 6th June. 

Thank you! 

My studio is being built.

Here is Midori's new stiudio to be. What d'ya think? 

I have been very busy making work for my solo exhibition in Tokyo. As I had great sales at CAL, I suddenly found myself needing to make more, but that's a small price to pay for a great show.

Studio and storage room.

In the meantime, our house has been upside down because of the builders. The construction of an extension, my studio, began at the beginning of March. I had to create loads of work for CAL in early April and Tokyo solo exhibition in mid-May. But as we had waited for two years to get the building project off the ground, I gave it a go. My order book is usually full for the next six months most of the time. What difference would it make? 

Demolition of the wall

To the studio

It had been ok despite all noise and vibration until last week when they removed the wall to make a doorway between current house and the extension. Then our stress levels shot up. Invisible dusts remain in air as they are too lightweight to fall down. The smell of dusts was overwhelming. Then suddenly there were three men ripping off floorboards in different places on the 1st floor, and we can't access upstairs as one of them was on the landing. They drilled the ceiling over me. I had no place to sit, so had to perch on a window. Chaos. 

Mike took a day off and helped them to locate cables and pipes. It is my office. 

But the worst was that I was unable to work even though I had to! Builders appear 7:30 every morning. Usually weekends are quiet, but last Saturday a plasterer had worked a whole Saturday morning. On that night, I had to work until 10:30 to compensate. Exhausted. I became slightly mad with red eyes, dark crircles and underglaze in my hair and face.

Having said that, our builders are good, smart and efficient. We are very happy with what they have done. 

No access to upstairs or to front door, neither.

Now we are in the final week. Currently I am re-firing work. And this could be the last firing before leaving for Tokyo, or there might be another. But we could see the light at the end of the tunnel.

I tell you, it has been tiring, stressful experience. But I kept telling myself after this I could work anywhere in any condition. Did I need another challenge? Well, no, but a life is full of challenegs, anyway.  

Pearl? I don't know where she is. Even dogs had to pile up as there was no space left in the winodw.

18th April

We have just recovered from backaches as we had to move funiture quite often. Building work is a hard work even if you don't lay the bricks yourself!

The second of March - This was the beginning.