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Singapore Clay Festival 2025: Hiroko Mita Chronicles Her Journey From Housewife To Pottery Artist

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Singapore Clay Festival 2025: Hiroko Mita Chronicles Her Journey From Housewife To Pottery Artist

Summary:

  • Japanese ceramicist Hiroko Mita discovered her passion for pottery under the strict mentorship of master Iskandar Jalil, whose exacting standards deepened her love for the craft.
  • Drawing inspiration from nature and Singapore’s cultural mix, she embraces the Japanese wabi-sabi philosophy, celebrating imperfections as marks of human touch.
  • Now an accomplished artist, Hiroko will showcase her works at the Singapore Clay Festival 2025, encouraging others – especially women – to find joy and creativity in pottery.
For some, a strict teacher might be enough to put them off a hobby for life. But for Hiroko Mita, who will be exhibiting at the upcoming Singapore Clay Festival 2025, it was the rigour of learning pottery under master ceramicist Iskandar Jalil that drew her into the art.
He would make us throw the clay again and again – 10 times, 20 times, until it was perfect. He was very strict, but somehow, that made me even more interested.
The 54-year-old recalls her introductory classes in 2006, back when she was volunteering as a Japanese docent at the Singapore Art Museum and the National Museum of Singapore:
In many ways, she says the exacting standards of the Cultural Medallion winner reminded her of home back in Japan, where pottery remains a prominent part of artistic culture.
It was easy for her to keep motivated to improving her craft, even while juggling the raising of three children and a job teaching part-time at a Japanese school.
Today, she has come into her own, having staged pottery exhibitions in both Tokyo and Singapore.
Hiroko has also completed commissions for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the National Arts Council, the National Heritage Board, and Duke-NUS Medical School.
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Draws inspiration from nature and the surroundings
Singapore Clay Festival 2025: Hiroko Mita Chronicles Her Journey From Housewife To Pottery Artist - Jalan Bahar Clay Studios
On most days, you’ll find Hiroko in her workshop at the far-flung Jalan Bahar Clay Studios. The room she works in is cramped – there’s barely any breathing room after you’ve accounted for a full-sized pottery wheel, a table for mixing and applying glaze, and a cupboard to store supplies.
Though there are a couple of windows for ventilation, much of the greenery outside is obstructed by the young silver’s next projects, all air-drying on shelves under plastic wraps.
It’s hot, humid, remote, and amid the mugginess of a Thursday afternoon, completely quiet.
This is my favourite place,
she says.
It comes as no surprise, considering that Hiroko draws inspiration from nature, the environment, and the people living in it.
Though she hesitates to say that she has a signature style, she finds herself working repeatedly with organic shapes hewn from intertwining strands of clay.
Singapore Clay Festival 2025: Hiroko Mita Chronicles Her Journey From Housewife To Pottery Artist - Signature style
It reminds me of Singapore, a place where I’ve lived for almost 30 years. There are all types of different people coming together in a very natural, very organic, very chaotic way, but they are still able to find a harmony,
she says.
At the same time, it is very fragile. If there are air bubbles, or if I don’t do the joining right, after the piece is fired, hairline cracks will emerge, and the entire piece is ruined,
she adds.
Even so, the ceramicist embraces wabi-sabi, the Japanese philosophy of accepting imperfect beauty and transience.
Singapore Clay Festival 2025: Hiroko Mita Chronicles Her Journey From Housewife To Pottery Artist - Clay Making
There are many different types of clay, and there are many different ways to treat them. Some work better rough, and other smooth,
she says.

"Clay has a memory. How you touch it, how you treat it – it remembers, and it will come out in the final product. But the imperfections are the human touch that make that piece yours."

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Catch her at the Singapore Clay Festival 2025
Singapore Clay Festival 2025: Hiroko Mita Chronicles Her Journey From Housewife To Pottery Artist - Singapore Clay Festival 2025 Event
Credit: Singapore Clay Festival
Hiroko splits her time between her more artistic projects and what she calls bread-and-butter pottery – plates, bowls, mugs, and bijou pots for tiny bonsai.
When I say bread and butter, this is not to say that these are lesser products,
she explains.

"But as Dr Jalil used to explain, we cannot separate form from function. We need to be able to pay for materials, so that we can keep researching and pursuing our art."

These pieces will be up for sale at Hiroko’s table at the fifth edition of the Singapore Clay Festival, happening 7 to 9 November 2025.
Apart from pottery sales by more than 220 artists, you can also expect demos, live pottery throwdowns, and exhibitions. Iskandar Jalil will also be putting up 25 pieces of his own work from his family’s collection.
I wish to encourage other women who were housewives, but also anyone of any age or gender, to try pottery. It is something that many of us can easily get into and enjoy as a pastime,
she says.

"Even if you make something like a plate or bowl, it is something that you can place in your home and feel happy about."

Singapore Clay Festival 2025: Hiroko Mita Chronicles Her Journey From Housewife To Pottery Artist - Plates
Credit: Singapore Clay Festival

Singapore Clay Festival 2025
Where: Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre, Multipurpose Hall, Level 7, 1 Straits Boulevard, Singapore 018906
When: 7 to 9 November, 11am – 9pm (closes 6pm on Sunday)
Price: Day pass starts at $10
Website: https://www.eventbrite.sg/e/singapore-clay-festival-25-tickets-1593496463819

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