Hello. I’m Oh Sunjoo, a ceramic artist based in Seoul. I focus on the colors and fine textures I can bring out of clay, and I make objects that blend naturally into daily life. Drawing on the calm scenes and soft forms I find in nature, I give my ceramics a beauty that is firm yet supple.

There are two pieces in all. One is Unfurling Jar, based on the ‘Unfurling’ series I’ve been working on, made smaller so it can fit even in a tight space. The other, Single Flower Vase, is a small vase you can put a flower or two in, or use as an object in its own right. Just one small object and a few flowers can brighten up a space, can’t they? I made these hoping to bring that kind of simple joy to everyone who sees them.

I combine clay with oxides, then finish the piece by polishing the surface. I wanted to create forms and surfaces as smooth as pebbles shaped by waves and sand over a long time. When I watch the tiny particles of clay softly glimmer, my mind naturally calms down. (laughs) I also pay attention to the contrast between the glazed interior and the exterior, where the clay’s texture shows just as it is.

I tend to refine the form and surface of each piece carefully and check every detail right to the end. I try to make sure the smooth forms and fine textures I’m after come through clearly. I think that’s because I care about achieving the form and texture I intended while still bringing out the clay’s inherent character.

Firing is when you put a form shaped from clay into a kiln and heat it to a high temperature. The force and heat applied during firing can make a piece warp or sag, and small dents or cracks I didn’t notice while working can be magnified. It’s hard to anticipate or control every change that happens inside the kiln. If you want to keep working in ceramics, I think you have to accept these variables and sometimes even enjoy the changes that come with the process.

I think a good everyday life begins with doing small things for yourself. Things like eating meals made with fresh ingredients, taking a walk or exercising in the sunshine, and talking with the people who matter to you. To me, a good everyday life is less about anything grand and more about taking good care of yourself and filling each day with gratitude, even for the little things that are easy to overlook.

These days, I don’t think it’s always easy to appreciate how precious and valuable an object is. We live in an age when so many things are made and thrown away so easily. But even so, I think the more you use an object that holds its maker’s thought and care, the more new value you discover in it.

On stressful days, I follow a bedtime routine of my own that clears my head and settles my body and mind. I apply roll-on oil to my wrists or just below my ears, then breathe slowly, focusing on the scent as it gently spreads. As I steady my breathing, my tangled thoughts gradually quiet down, and I can feel even my tense body start to relax. Little by little, building up the small habits I need like this has helped keep me well, not only the next day but across my whole everyday life.

You know how some people find rest on a trip just by zoning out, gazing into a campfire or out at the sea. I think art and craft play a similar role. After all, even without traveling anywhere, you can quietly look at a piece and set your thoughts aside for a moment, or hold it in your hands, use it, and feel everyday life in a new way. I hope you’ll enjoy brief moments of wellness with craft, like ‘art-gazing,’ where you simply look at a piece, or ‘tea-gazing,’ where you savor a moment of ease over tea from a vessel you love.

In a world where it’s difficult to escape comparison and how others see you, I think it’s easy to lose what makes you yourself. Even so, I think what you see, hear, and think about is something you can choose for yourself. I find the calm, still side of nature truly beautiful. My effort to bring that into my ceramics is also connected to what I think of as ‘my own beauty.’ I’m always looking for my own way to express a beauty that is firm yet soft, supple yet steady at its center. Isn’t it the process of holding on to your own sense and standards that adds up to your own beauty?

I think you can discover the beauty of everyday life even by noticing how the weather and seasons change. Beauty is closer than you might think, and as long as you have an eye for it, your day can feel a little richer. You might arrange different flowers and plants in the vase each season for a fresh look, or pause beside the piece for a while and look out the window. Today, I hope you’ll see the space you’re in with new eyes and discover the beauty within it.