Pottery enthusiast turns her amateur hobby into a professional job after attending classes with us

Learner Reiko settled in England over twenty years ago when she married an Englishman, whom she met in Tokyo. After the initial struggle of settling in a new foreign country and managing the isolation of losing friends, plus the comfort and familiarity of home, she improved her English at college and, importantly, learnt to drive. This newfound independence enabled Reiko to take up pottery classes at the Guildford Centre and over the last five years she has developed her skill in ceramics, which has resulted in her turning professional. Reiko lives in picturesque Leith Hill in Surrey and the lush, natural beauty of her surroundings have influenced her work. Most of her work on the pottery wheel echoes her Japanese heritage.

Reiko feels very at home learning at our Guildford Centre. She said "My motivation to learn pottery was initially to make Japanese tableware that I couldn't buy in England. Secondly, I wanted to go out and make some new friends. Surrey Adult Learning is everything that I hoped to find. At the pottery classes in Guildford, I encountered inspiring and talented tutors who are qualified, and they encouraged me to explore my pottery. My work was first taken up by the Bourneside Gallery in Dorking and now I am member of Wey Ceramics Society, exhibiting and selling all over the UK."

The Covid pandemic meant that Reiko's exhibitions and other live events were cancelled.

During lockdown, she used the opportunity to learn the Japanese art of Kintsugi and she appreciates the philosophy attached to this technique. Kintsugi is the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery by mending the areas of breakage with lacquer dusted or mixed with powdered gold, silver, or platinum. This restorative technique is very meaningful to Reiko as an artist.

She said "Many hearts have been broken during the Covid pandemic. Restoring the broken pottery is like mending broken hearts and this results in a stronger version, but as equally beautiful as before. Also, restoring broken pottery reminds Reiko of our common duty to recycle and preserve the environment. Reiko shared, "My life mentor Daisaku Ikeda once said the fact that we have been born into this world means that we each have a unique mission to fulfil and I believe that I found my mission in this world from pottery, I am grateful for my tutors, friends, my family and my pottery wheel." Reiko's website.

Surrey Adult Learning offers a flexible choice of pottery and clay work courses for all abilities in our well-appointed studios, led by qualified and experienced tutors.