Handcrafted with Love
At Studio Asobi, we believe that there is a place in this world for beautiful creations crafted by hand – slowly, lovingly and uniquely.
Our clay vessels each bear a name and a little haiku, and just as we have enjoyed making them, we hope that they bring the same joy to whoever holds and uses them.
The pictures below are a glimpse of our pottery works and creative process. Larger sculptures and installations can be found here.
One of our long-time cafe clients is Apartment Coffee and you can also order the same style coffee cups for your personal home use.
We welcome you to join our pottery journey too, with our individual workshops, corporate sessions, or spiritual retreats.
"这世界破破烂烂，但总有人在缝缝补补”
#pottery #陶艺 #studioasobi
Sep 29
How long should it take a potter to repair a cup defect before it makes more sense to just start over?
This was the question on my mind when I was working on this cup yesterday, trying to thicken a rim that was too thin and smoothen off a dent caused by an air bubble embedded within the clay walls.
It took a lot longer than what I usually needed, and more than once I considered crushing the cup and just starting a new one (side note: crushing a cup midway can be both a painful yet cathartic experience, somewhat like ending a difficult relationship perhaps?). It would have taken arguably less time, and the end product might even be better. But somehow I found myself carrying on, and as the cup slowly settled into its shape, I was rewarded with a soothing sense of satisfaction, coupled with the discomfort of having spent more than three times my usual trimming time on this one cup.
This mix of emotions made me wonder, just how much time is it worth spending to try and overcome the challenges in our lives, before we metaphorically crush the clay and start over? And as I thought about this question, I realized it`s hardly a straightforward mathematical calculation.
1. Am I growing through this process?
2. Am I able to overcome this challenge?
3. What do I REALLY value in my life and is this adding value?
4. How does this impact those around me?
5. Am I getting worn down?
These are questions that consciously or unconsciously affect how much time I devote to difficult things. I also realize that sometimes, my immediate answers to these complex questions may not come from my personal convictions, but from the beliefs of those around me. Who should I be listening to?
Sep 17
Thank you @pangiumsg for showcasing our marbled bud vases at your special Author`s Table events!
"说不定我一生涓滴意念
侥幸汇成河 然后我俩各自一端
望著大河弯弯 终于敢放胆
嘻皮笑脸 面对 人生的难
也许我们从未成熟
还没能晓得 就快要老了
尽管心里活著的还是那个 年轻人"
- 李宗盛 / 山丘
Photo credits: Pangium
#pottery #handmade #studioasobi #山丘
Sep 16
METAMORPHIC
Mountains and ridges
Melting into river beds
Till they rise again
Each of these bud vases is made from layers and layers of clay pressed together, then moulded and trimmed by hand to reveal the intricate patterns beneath. Like the histories that shape us - joyful, sad, long drawn, short-lived - all melded together into our present being.
Each of us kind of the same from afar, but unique from up close. Each of us beautiful at a glance, but flawed and imperfect upon closer inspection (or perhaps the other way round). Each of us fleeting, and eternal.
What do we make of ourselves? Do we like what we see from afar? From up close?
Thank you @pangiumsg for this lovely little project!
Aug 21
It`s not every day that the work of our hands is appreciated by those around us. Whether we are parents, teachers, leaders, friends, service providers, or workers, I`m sure many of us have encountered situations that make us wonder, "what am I even doing this for?"
But then there are also such moments that make the hard work and sacrifices worthwhile. When a handmade cup is received with a beaming smile. When a co-worker says "I`m so glad we`re doing this together." When a child says, "Dad you`re so good at this!" When a spouse says, "Lucky I didn`t marry someone else."
Over the years, I`ve learnt to be more grateful for these big things in life.
The younger me would call these the little things in life, but that younger me is wrong. These are the big things, the things that really matter, all the way to the end.
Thank you @healthservesg for letting us partner with you guys, and thank you to these migrant brothers for sharing a moment of their lives with us, even in their struggle for healing and justice.
Aug 17
I`M FULL
Look at my tummy
No more space for anything
Except for dessert
I remember, as a child, trying to push out my tummy to show my parents how full I was and how impossible it was to stuff even one more spoon of rice into my body. Naggings and scoldings would ensue, but perhaps all they needed to say was, "Next time your child will do the same to you!"
Or perhaps they did, under their breath, because indeed this is what our child is doing to us right now!
Aug 7
These are all men who make it possible for us to live in comfort and safety in Singapore. Yet they come here on the back of heavy loans, and their livelihoods are often at the mercy of their employers. When they get injured or wrongfully dismissed, their future can be irredeemably devastated.
@healthservesg `s tireless work gives these migrant brothers the justice they deserve, the healing they need, and the emotional reprieve the yearn for. Yet many still fall through the cracks.
Recently, Singapore was slapped with tariffs that hinge on our alleged forced labour practices. Our country may bristle at these allegations, but we cannot ignore the fact that there are countries to which these tariffs did not apply.
Could it be true that our wealth and comfort is, to some extent, built upon the suffering of the less fortunate?
Aug 4
The mid year mark often does not feel as exciting as the turn of a new year. However, meaning and clarity can still be found in the most ordinary days:)
Come and be refreshed at our spiritual retreat, where we gather to experience the unforced rhythms of grace.
Let the playing with clay surprise you as you take the time to slow down.
May God meet you where you are and minister to your deepest need :)
More info can be found on our website (link in profile).
#christianretreat #spiritualretreat #pottery #studioasobi
Jul 4
Some say that life is just a series of problems to be solved. But once in a while, there comes a problem that just seems too big, too complex, too fearsome to overcome.
At times, I have felt paralyzed by fear, unable to think my way out of my predicaments. But what if, instead of solving problems with my brain, I just stood up and moved?
Just that one first step, and then another, and then another. Because maybe it`s not about moving mountains. Maybe I am the mountain that needs to move.
#pottery #creatures #reflections #studioasobi
Jun 25
Thank you @huixianggg for giving us the opportunity to make this lovely cup for you! This Blue Pebble glaze is one of our newest additions - it`s been awhile since we developed new glazes but thanks to the amazing work of our friends Andy and Vanessa we now have a whole new series of absolutely delicious glazes!
These few years, we have embraced the joys and challenges of parenthood, with the realization that we only have this one chance of experiencing our boy`s precious childhood years while he still looks to us as his world. As a result, we have calibrated our studio output to what we feel is sustainable and joyful for us in this season.
So our hearts are really filled with gratitude to the friends who continue to support our work, as well as the friends who bless us with their time, poring over glaze formulations with us! So that new creations can still be birthed from Studio Asobi even when we have less time to do everything ourselves.
May we continue to enjoy this creation process together!
Jun 9
SEASONS
See the birds take flight
And the forest shed its crown
A fresh path revealed
Below these cups are carved the characters 悅、益、宁、顺、康、恩，farewell words that our good friend is blessing his colleague with as she enters a new season of life. As I slowly carve these words, I am reminded of each individual stroke of blessing I have experienced in my own life.
If were to make a cup for myself, a word I would love to carve would be 友 (friendship). Only 4 strokes on paper, but many many steps long in the journey through this strange and wonderful life.
May 18
PART 3 (FINAL): Enjoying the gift
If we didn`t have that pivotal time alone with God that changed our minds about having a child, it is quite easy to imagine how our lives may have continued. Probably feeling a lot more in control of things. And more pottery would be made haha!
But, it would also certainly not be as interesting! If I have to pick a flavor, sweetness is definitely the core taste of my motherhood experience.
"Mama, you are so cute! I love you!" are words he says to me and I carry his love so close to my heart. I know that if he knew our love, and we too knew his love, we would all be okay on this journey of life. If we keep growing in love with one another, we will only grow happier and closer. I don`t believe it`s a given that family relationships can only trend downwards.
When we go beyond comfort zones, we find growth. These bouldering pictures are from a recent outing (thanks YY for joining!) and it was exciting to see him attempt routes! It is so satisfying to see him do things I can`t even do.
When we do pottery, we mold and sculpt and shape accordingly to what we have in mind. But a child is not your pot. When it comes to parenting, it is probably more like being a gardener, where we observe what kind of seed he is and then provide the environmental conditions for him to grow for God`s purposes.
This morning I was listening to some Chinese idiom stories on the way to school with our son and one of them was 拔苗助长 (pulling up shoots to help them grow faster). It is an idiom which warns against spoiling things through undue haste or unnatural methods.
Keeping this concept in mind has helped us enjoy our parenting journey as we follow a more natural pace of learning. Just like my dad once said to me "you can`t pry open a flower to make it bloom".
We are still on a journey, and it is still early days (he is 8+ yo). Sometimes we tend to hear more of the negative stresses and worries of parenthood and truly, it is no easy ride. Yet, there are also many positive sides, and it is always a conversation worth having if anyone of you is at the undecided stage! Hope this encourages you!
#family #motherhood #parenting #retreats
May 11
PART 2: Being open to the gift
Deciding whether to have children or not is a big step of faith. We never really know what it will be like until we reach and take that step.
Asking God: When I turned 35, we were faced with a biological reality. The odds of conceiving and/or a healthy baby would start declining more rapidly. We decided to go into the woods and have time alone with God to pray over this decision.
It was there when I came upon this bible verse which changed my thoughts (and life!) completely.
Psalm 127:3 — "Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from him."
If God wants to give us a gift, why should we reject it? At the same time, we don`t want to be presumptuous that God wants to give us a child because we know that these things concerning life and death are ultimately a divine mystery.
God spoke to Kenneth in a different but complementary manner and hence, we decided that we should surrender this to God and leave it to Him to decide. If we conceive and have a child, we give thanks for the gift. If we don`t conceive, we shall also give thanks for His other purposes for our lives.
Our son loves hearing this story of how we didn`t want to have children at first and how we changed our minds. He knows that we see him as a cute gift from God, and he loves imagining how he waited for God to bring him into our family:)
We also share with our son that God prepared us for parenthood because He first redirected us to a different pathway from our past corporate careers to become potters. We were molded and reshaped, and we became more ready to embrace the mission of nurturing a child.
In our topsy-turvy world, good things have become bad and bad things have become good. We have been lied to as evil always seeks to kill, steal and destroy.
When we look into the eyes of a baby and hold the tiny hands, we instinctively smile because it is by design that they bring forth joy. Children are a reminder of what is pure, beautiful and worth protecting. They also challenge us to be our better selves as they hold up a mirror for us to review our past, today and future.
To be continued...
#motherhood #parenting
May 11
PART 1: The gift of motherhood was one I almost rejected
We started off in our marriage being open to having children as it was still the norm of couples to do so (at least back in our day!)
We had a lot of fun being a childless couple. We had free time and freedom to go anywhere we wanted at whatever odd hours. We were serving actively in church and the community and felt like we were contributing to society in our own small ways.
We shared similar fears and worries with those who were hesitant to have children. The world looked like it was going on a worsening trajectory and there were a lot of costs and pressures associated with raising children well in our society. We also weren`t sure if our families` medical histories would mean passing on genetic issues to the next generation. Above all, we questioned ourselves if we would be good parents? Do we have time and energy to nurture a child?
These thoughts were enough to keep us from having one for 5 to 6 years of our marriage. We also considered — what if we regretted this later in life? We discussed our thoughts about adoption or fostering.
We understood our parents` big desire for us to have children, but we knew it was still a big decision to decide for ourselves. So we even asked our friends for the reasons why they decided to have kids.
There were many reasons given but frankly, none that really resonated deeply with us and our own causes for concern.
There were however, a few examples/conversations that moved the needle for us.
From afar: I used to read a blog of a stay-at-home mum who shares the daily events of her husband and children. Because they were such ordinary moments lovingly captured and recorded, it was a glimpse into the simple, yet profound joys of family life. It was a beautiful picture which stood up against a terrible trial of surviving and recovering from a terrible fire.
One conversation: It was a casual conversation with a lady I just met on a mission trip who had several children. She passionately shared about how wonderful parenthood is, and it was so sincere and powerful I still remember till today.
Story to be continued...
#motherhood #parenting #mothersday
May 11
DINO BUSINESS
With these fearsome horns
Guarding against intruders
I can poop in peace
Recently, our studio welcomed a new student who is already quite an expert at moulding dinosaur forms, something way out of our usual creations. Watching him make these magnificent creatures with ease made me want to try it out myself too, at least to prove to myself that there`s some substance in these hands!
So here`s a little triceratops, going about his everyday business of watching out for predators, showing off his shiny armour, and pooping!
Made entirely from memory - it`s amazing how much we remember from childhood picture books and from watching TV!
May 8
This vessel was made a long time ago. I can`t recall exactly when; but it must have been a day when I felt like there was enough time to sit and slowly tease out a form where varied parts came together.
There was no drawing, no plan, just a feeling to create something. And it was satisfying to have made it - even though it wasn`t for any particular person in mind.
It spent some years sitting unglazed on my shelf - quietly waiting. I would have been happy keeping it for myself, but one day a workshop participant noticed it and loved it. She chose the colour and now it sits in her home:)
Waiting is a very hard thing to do, when one is pining for a particular outcome. It makes one anxious, restless and frustrated. 反正都是等待，能否换个姿态？Since waiting is inescapable in life, can that process be reimagined so that it does not extract a mental toll?
Over the years, I have to come to realize that the most practical thing to do is - 做好自己的本分。There is no need to look left and right at what others are doing. Instead, I need to be clear minded and figure out what I, myself and no one else should be concerned with, and then be focused to take care of that.
To quote 长玉`s father: “关关难过关关过，天塌下来有个高的顶着”。 不管遇到多大的难处，饭要吃饱，觉要睡好！” Loosely translated, it means that no matter the troubles, keep eating and sleeping well. Take each trial as it comes and we would be able to get through it eventually.
大家加油！
#waiting #pottery
Apr 30
众里寻他千百度
蓦然回首 那人却在 灯火阑珊处
.
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.#逐玉
Apr 25
TO QUENCH A THIRST
To fields by rivers
Parsley sage rosemary thyme
Come away with me
Our customer told us he felt that sage could be a good colour for this season. I`m not really a culinary person, so the first thought I had was not of herbs, but of the song Scarborough Fair by Simon and Garfunkel, which I first heard in my dad`s car as he drove me to school. What a strange, enigmatic song, I had thought, with its rich imagery that transported me to this place I had never seen before, some old English town perhaps? I felt an unplaceable sense of longing, cut short by the hustle and bustle of the school day but which lingered in my heart for years to come.
Where was this Fair? What scents were in the air that day, and who was the one who lived there? Could I one day return to this place?
I was filled with wonder, not just about the song, but about the person and soul that gave breath to it. How do people find inside themselves such words to pen down?
These days I write songs whenever I have a quiet moment, and often in the pockets of time between my work, when I need a little escape. But I`ve also occasionally stumbled upon the melodies and lyrics that come from another place beyond the human heart, generated effortlessly just by the tapping of a keyboard. These songs are smoothly crafted, pleasantly rhyming, delivered with well blended vocals that flow gently into the ears. One day (if I didn`t know where they came from), I might conceivably be moved upon hearing them, even if right now they sound just as empty as the promises of human flourishing that our world would have us believe in.
I fear for that day, when I can no longer tell when a song has emanated from someone`s soul, or when it has materialised from the aggregated artifacts of humanity`s vast linguistic records.
But I will still write, and I will still make vessels with my bare hands. Even if my words are clumsy and my fingermarks mar what might otherwise be a perfectly smooth surface.
Apr 18
Imperfect, but Real | 真心话，大冒险
I have been taking music lessons over the past year, and it has been a mind (and finger stretching) experience! I do not know how to play the piano, but I have been challenged by my husband to learn how to not only compose songs, but also to do so on keys. I have resisted this suggestion for the longest time due to its daunting nature; but that is a story for another day!
Composing and practicing is tough work. It is honestly a time-consuming endeavour. However, is it worth it?
I suppose it is the same question as to why we do pottery. Is there still a point in making everything by hand when much more uniform and cheaper pieces can be factory made?
Would you rather hear a CD version of a song played in a concert, or hear the singer sing live? Would you rather receive a handwritten love note or a copied proclamation by AI?
I guess you get the drift of where I am going with this. It can be imperfect, but at least it is real. 我要的是真心，不是假意。
An original - is worth so much more to the maker or audience, because it carries the weight of REAL energy and emotions put into birthing it.
We live in an age of ease and fake things. Ease of prose or any type of thing that AI can produce instantly for you. An age where fake news and lies are propagated to persuade you towards what serves the ones behind it.
It can get too heavy to process and take it all in. We know because we get exhausted by the news cycles or just thinking about heavy topics too.
But, here is something to consider. There is nothing new under the sun. Everything that has happened, has happened before in some shape or form in the long winding story of humankind.
If we hang on to what is true, what is good, what is just, what is merciful, what is worth safeguarding for the future generations, there will still be hope. Our world would have been so much more impoverished if those who came before us gave up creating. And so, we will keep making! Because it is worth it :)
#culturecare #reflections #pottery #making
Apr 13
This month of avoiding news and social media has ironically been filled with much sobering and sorrowful news that can`t be avoided even if one was living under a rock. Reckless, devastating wars, political and economic instability rocking the whole world.
This is the world we live in, whether we are standing on the earth or gazing at it from the other side of the moon. There are circumstances around us that are too big for us to control. But in a world that looks increasingly dark, we can still choose who we are, who we want to be. We can blend into the darkness, and find some measure of peace, or we can choose to be a light and hopefully illuminate the little areas around us.
Thankful for this commission, and for the time it took to slowly carve out these words.
Apr 11
