I had a lot of ideas about what I might be doing when I got to Japan. The funny part is that none of them came true. People kept telling me "don't worry about it you will find something once you get there". This was not a comforting thought. I did end up finding two places to work and even though it is nothing like I expected I think that I couldn't ask for a better situation.

 

This studio is at Hananakita mall a few blocks from where Taube is teaching. This was unplanned and is just how it worked out but is really nice. I am able to go there and have the place all to myself two days a week and sometimes Taube drops in after work. I feel bad about it sometimes because there is an economy of space that goes on in Japan and here I am using this huge storefront in this nice mall all by myself. I have been going on studio visits around Himeji and most are not this big or nice. I am happy to have a place to work where I can spread out a little. Up until this point I have been spending time working on throwing really thin and small pieces because there is no kiln in this studio so I was wondering what I would do for firing things. Now that I have another place that has a kiln I get really excited to go in and work.