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Stephanie Takagi | Episode 1008

Stephanie Takagi is a Japanese Canadian Potter in Lake Country, BC with her husband of 15 years and their two daughters. Stephanie’s pottery is inspired by her Japanese heritage and the beautiful BC Landscape. Stephanie sculptural pieces are frequently inspired by the current political environment and global issues.

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Which do you prefer, online or in person sales?

I think there’s a balance between the two. Online is obviously more convenient but there is something about meeting your customers in person and talking to them. And having that conversation that is always important.

What do you like most about meeting people face to face and selling?

I like seeing what draws them in and what their eyes go to. I have a lot of sassy quote mugs and I love watching people read those. I like watching them laugh at them or maybe scoff at them but I just love watching those reactions. Giving people a good laugh always makes my day.

You have two lines you are doing functional and sculptural. Which do you enjoy doing more?

That’s hard. It kind of depends on the day to be honest. When it comes to my sculptural pieces, if I find some sort of inspiration that I just can’t get out of my head I will have to go and sculpt it right away. Like pen to paper, I just need to get it out. Yeah, I don’t know, I love them both because wheel throwing is so meditative too.

Where do you find your biggest source of inspiration?

Where I grew up, I kind of grew up in the middle of the forest. And I love B.C.’s landscape. I think it’s the most beautiful landscape in the world. It’s truly just….the mountains, trees, I will always draw inspiration from that. But I also get inspiration from my kids, my own Japanese heritage. And if you see my sculptures sometimes there’s a lot of global issues and political happenings around the world that I will feel like I need to get out in a sculpture.

Did you find the transition from kid care to pottery production was that a difficult or easy transition?

It was actually hard. I literally went from seeing lots of people all day and talking to kids all day to talking to no one. And to be honest, I loved all my kids that I took care of, I still miss them, I see them often. They always say hi to me and it was exhausting but they were fantastic but it was a good change.

Where do you see yourself in five years with ceramics?

I would love to be doing a little more sculptural art and getting into art galleries and showing my work in the range that I have on that end. And then as we talked about before having  more of a balance between my online sales and my market sales. And hopefully having that go in a positive direction.

Book

Cain’s Jawbone by Edward Powys Mathers

Contact

stephtakagi.com
Instagram: @steph.made.it