Rebecca J Woods Ceramics

Mishima Cherry Blossom Dish

This Mishima dish is made from my own blend of buff and black stoneware clays, creating a rich chocolate-coloured surface. Mishima, a traditional Korean inlay technique, involves carving and stamping into the clay, then carefully filling the marks with coloured slips. Several layers of slip may be applied before the surface is allowed to dry slightly and then scraped back, revealing the intricate pattern beneath. The dish is biscuit fired, left unglazed or glazed with a transparent glaze, and fired again to 1245°C, producing a durable finish that enhances the depth and detail of the decoration.

Mishima Cherry Blossom Dish

Using the Mishima technique, my inspiration for this piece comes from textiles. As someone with a deep love of fabric, I am continually drawn to both contemporary and historical patterns. I enjoy studying their textures, motifs, and rhythms, and exploring how these can be translated into clay. Mishima allows me to capture surfaces that echo printed fabrics.

Mishima Pedestal Vessel

This Mishima pedestal vessel was inspired by a chalice I was commissioned to make for a Unitarian church. I was drawn to the elegance of the form and the feeling of it wanting to he held. A fellow potter David Wright, who also works with this shape has been an additional influence on my approach. I love how the glaze moves across the surface, running down the sides and leaving areas unglazed, creating a natural, unpredictable flow that enhances the sense of movement and quiet beauty in the piece.

Mishima Trinket Boxes

These Mishima trinket boxes are hand-built and designed to just be enjoyed or to hold small treasures. I love making small precious, intimate objects that can hold a ring, a note, or another tiny keepsake. The Mishima decoration adds delicate pattern, transforming a simple container into a small, thoughtful object to be treasured in its own right.

Mishima Salt Box and Spoon

This Mishima salt box and spoon reflects my love of making small, useful objects that are both functional and beautiful. I enjoy creating pieces that are part of everyday life, but still feel special to use and hold. While I also make round salt pigs, this design is more in keeping with a Japanese aesthetic, focusing on simplicity, refinement, and quiet detail. The Mishima decoration adds pattern and interest, turning a practical domestic object into something considered and crafted.

Mishima Moon Jar

Inspired by traditional Korean Moon Jars, this piece celebrates simplicity, balance, and form. I am drawn to their generous, rounded shape and the way they are made in two separate halves before being joined together, a process that leaves a subtle seam and evidence of the maker's hand. Originally used in Korea as everyday storage and carrying vessels, Moon Jars combine beauty with utility. Their quiet presence and imperfect symmetry continue to inspire my own approach to making.