IWA No. 1

Iwa means rock in Japanese — a name that echoes the raw, almost geological character of these cups.

Inspired by the Japanese kurinuki tradition and the work of ceramic artist @simon_manoha, the cups are my exploration of the space between a functional vessel and a small sculpture.

Imagine holding the cup in your hands. Your fingers meet an irregular landscape of soft hollows, raised edges and traces left by the making process. Turn it slowly, and the cup shifts in your grip, revealing a new texture and a different character from every angle.

Each cup begins as a solid piece of clay. The outer form is shaped by pinching and pressing the clay between my fingers before the centre is slowly hollowed out. Finger marks and uneven edges are deliberately preserved, allowing the movements of the hands to remain present in the finished piece.

The glaze flows across the rugged surface and gathers in its crevices, creating subtle variations in colour and depth — like minerals, moss or weather moving across stone.

Made to be held, not merely looked at. Raw, tactile and quietly sculptural. No two are alike.