Interview With An Artist: Ohigashi Alyne’s Nature-Inspired Tobe Ware

In a studio located in the peaceful mountains near the Seto Inland Sea, artist Ohigashi Alyne spends her days creating beautiful Tobe ware, painting natural motifs in watercolor textures on pure white porcelain. Born in the Philippines, Ohigashi moved over forty years ago to Tobe, where she is the designer and artist of Higashi Kiln.

Through her story, we look at how memory, family, and landscape find their way into her porcelain.

Traditionally, Tobe ware is known for its thick and very durable tableware items. They are tastefully decorated in traditional blue and white with simple motifs like the swirls of karakusa arabesques and uniform stripes of tokusa.

Ohigashi expresses her own take on Tobe ware by further pursuing ease of use and creating beautiful nature-inspired designs.

“At Higashi Kiln, we make pieces that are light in weight and easy to hold. When enjoying a Japanese meal, bowls and plates are held in the user’s hand for a longer amount of time, so lighter tableware items are more comfortable to use,” she says.

“When it comes to my designs, I only paint things that I’ve actually seen with my own eyes. The flowers in my garden inspire me so much, always giving me ideas of what to draw next. I have a degree in agriculture, so I’m familiar with the structure of plants. The flowers in my garden are my models.”

In fact, the cherry blossoms that bloom right outside her patio are what sparked the idea for her new Sakura series, whose gentle pinks bloom softly against a canvas of glossy white porcelain. Her painting style is a hallmark of Higashi Kiln’s unique charm.

“The technique I use is called washi-zome, which involves adding designs and colors to bisque ware using Japanese washi paper. Originally, skilled craftspeople would do this traditional technique with kaya, a cotton material used for mosquito netting. The kaya is applied to the ceramic and painted with gosu (a cobalt blue) or other pigment. In place of kaya, I use washi paper, which was introduced to me by another Japanese craftsperson.”

One of Ohigashi’s popular items at MUSUBI KILN is her P.S. Blue Mug, featuring a deep, striking blue.

“At first, I wasn't sure how to use blue. It’s a very traditional color in Japanese culture. But then I came to feel that this blue expresses the feeling of nostalgia of a foreigner living in Japan: so cool, so proud, yet so peaceful. I really like this tone of indigo that I made. It’s called kaiheki blue, or deep ocean blue. I use real gold (11% gold content) to decorate the flowers.”

Although Ohigashi is presently a renowned Tobe ware artist with many awards and honorable mentions, the road to her success was not an easy one. She first started out helping with her husband’s family business.

“I didn’t have a real background in art, so everything I know and can do is self-taught. I still prefer reading books and looking at beautiful illustrations and photos instead of checking the internet.”

She adds, “My drawings and style may be unconventional, but I think that’s okay. I like my designs, and they reflect what I see in my natural surroundings. The things around me pass through a filter in my brain, and then my hands express what I see. That’s how it works for me.”

But soon after the family business had started to take off, her husband passed away very suddenly. Ohigashi was left with the big challenge of balancing motherhood and being an artist.

“My top priority was being a mom. I never said, ‘Wait, I’m busy.’ Instead, I would say, ‘Just give me a moment.’ That’s what I said to my three children, and what I say to my three grandchildren.

“But that doesn’t mean work has second priority, because what I do is not work for me. It’s a way of life. I love what I do. I just so happen to receive something in return for what I love to do. There were no boundaries between work and my daily life. And balancing comes naturally when there are no boundaries. I have proudly succeeded in raising three sons on my own as a single mother.”

Family plays an important part in Ohigashi’s life and is what gives her the inspiration to create her work.

“My childhood days were full of fiestas and parties. As I come from a very big family, there would be thirty to forty people at family gatherings where we would all enjoy good food on lavish plates. And at that table, what I felt was pure happiness.

“Family joined together at a table decorated with good food and set with everyday-use plates, bowls, glasses—that’s what gives us a happy life and good memories.

“My work is dedicated to the smallest element of society, the family.

“As I grew older, I felt the need to create something that I could pass on to the next generation. Through my work, I want to send the message that we can enjoy life with unique items on our dining table. I try to create tableware that will symbolize the unity of a family. Tableware items can be cherished at a home for a long time and can help create memories that will last a lifetime.”

It’s not uncommon for kilns in Tobe to be managed by an individual or a family. Therefore, most of the production process is done by hand without the use of large machinery or equipment. And along with many other kilns across Japan, kilns in Tobe are also faced with the dilemma of whether to make the transition to mass production or maintain their present “family business” production style.

We asked Ohigashi about her thoughts on the future of Tobe ware.

“I personally feel that the current family-business style of production is why Tobe ware has been able to retain its intricate beauty. And it’s this production style that helps maintain the quality of Tobe ware, too. Kilns in Tobe are extremely dedicated to their craft and have held the same high level of commitment for hundreds of years.

“Many centuries ago, porcelain was called ‘white gold.’ That’s how precious it was at the time. I hope that many people around the world will get a chance to see and enjoy the high quality of Tobe’s porcelain.”

Ohigashi’s love of nature comes across in what she hopes to leave behind.

“We sometimes take for granted all the flowers and plants we see in nature. I want to leave something for the next generation, so they know what existed during my lifetime on earth. Ceramics will exist forever, as they do not diminish in form. Even if it’s just a fragment, it will leave a message to future generations. With that, I feel content as a ceramic artist.”