文：林楚玲  圖：竹南蛇窯

It's pouring today (8/5). I haven't heard the sound of rain showering down in a long time. The preparations have been completed and the kiln will be lighted in the evening to begin firing. In June, I left my job, grabbed a suitcase, and jumped on a plane from Hong Kong to Zhunan Snake Kiln in Taiwan to begin my life as an artist-in-residence.  For the past month and a half, I took in everything this place offered: space to create, knowledge of ceramics art, and stimulation in thought. All of this have been transformed into artwork that is now sitting in the kiln, about to undergo three days of fire. The rain before the lighting is a preface to the works in the kiln, tempering the scorching August heat so we can comfortably perform the firing. I was able to feel the gift of the earth: every inch of land, ray of sunlight, and drop of water.

Due to the living environment, Hong Kong does not meet the conditions for building a wood-fired kiln. Even while in school, we could only use electric kilns, so it was difficult to add wood-firing to my creative repertoire. Wood-fired ceramic vessels were essential to the daily lives of the past, from small kitchen wares to large wine jars. Although marginalized in today's world, wood-firing still maintains its unique brand of beauty and style. What attracts me about wood-firing is how the ash falls on the pottery to become glaze, like simple, earthy clothing on the wares. I like the glistening, unsophisticated glaze colors, like the color of the farmer's skin, a proof given by the earth of the hard work in the fields. 

My creations during the residency are divided into 5 series: Tools, Treasure, Searching for the Moon, Made in Taiwan, and Throwing Diary. The Made in Taiwan series was the one that touched me the deepest. Being creative requires that I remember how everything started, to forever keep that fondness for things for what they are, to always be curious and explore, and never be tied down by my own preconceptions.  During a night when I was feeling the creator's block, I had a dream. I saw a young me, about 5 or 6, with a small backpack, neatly dressed in school uniforms and wearing black leather shoes, ready to go to school with curiosity written on my face.  When I woke up, that pair of shoes was still in my head. The shoes awakened the child in me, telling me to create artwork out of pure love for the craft, like an innocent child's desire to learn, unaffected by the society. A total of 11 different pairs of children's shoes were made for the series using different types of clay. I even asked my friends in Hong Kong to send pictures of their children's shoes as a blueprint. I'm looking forward to seeing how they turn out. 

For the Tools series, I made a plaster cast of the hands of 12 friends in Hong Kong, then, using slipcasting, I made a ceramic hand for each of them. I've known these friends for a while, and spent a lot of time with them. They stood with me through my unhappy days, and were also there to share my joy. Other ceramic artists may bring their own tools to residency, such as a fettling knives, or a wood cutter. I brought tools for my mind - the ceramic hands of 12 friends. Through these hands, I can feel them supporting me throughout the residency. 

About Searching for the Moon and Throwing Diary: During the residency, sometimes I like to silently walk or sit on the grass by myself in the gardens of the Snake Kiln to settle my thoughts. The moon hanging in the sky at this time... There are a lot of empty ceramic jars sitting around in the workshop. The opening is black and round, which I always thought looked like the full moon. Throwing is a technique that requires training in patience and stamina. It's not easy to throw a perfectly circular ceramic ware, just as it is not easy to find the moon in the sky. And it takes more than just effort to create something you can be proud of. Both of these things are just as elusive for me.

Treasure

As of this writing, my work is still awaiting the firing, so I can't be sure if I'm happy with my work. But everything I've seen and learned during my residency has been helpful and will have a lasting effect on me for the rest of my life.  Aside from giving me the opportunity to work with wood-firing, the Snake Kiln also conveyed to me the message that wood-firing requires resources from the land: from mining, to picking up drift wood by the sea or buying waste wood from sawmills, to loading wood for firing. The overarching concept to the process is to be friendly to the environment: To cherish what the earth has to offer, and to make good use of the resources provided by the planet, only then will the artwork has its own character and its own perception.

This bountiful trip is nearing its end. The rhythm of city life awaits me in Hong Kong. Whenever I hear the cicada sing, it will always remind me of the happy days that one hot summer I spent at Zhunan Snake Kiln.  Many thanks to Zhunan Snake Kiln, and every member of the staff who have helped me along the way. Thank you!