My work has been in the category of the functional ceramic arts. However, function to me is rather a tool, just like color, scale, and other elements of design, not a goal itself to achieve. In the contemporary craft, the functional ceramics can be seen as a potential vehicle of emotions and stories. It is so much fun to explore how much I can push, and which direction I can go with this experimentation. Also there is an anthropological interest in the subject. For example, many tableware objects have meanings behind them; sometimes overt, such as a mug that becomes part of a person’s daily coffee ritual, and sometimes more symbolic, like a tea set that indicates an enjoyable shared time in a civilized manner. I would like to take the advantages of the medium of functional ceramics, which blend into people’s lives without a barrier of glass showcase or an astronomical price tag.
My goal is to unite people, to enhance the story that I want to deliver through the medium of ceramics. It is my hope that my ceramic work will serve people in many different ways and levels. My work is here for you, for me, and hopefully for many people for many reasons.
Bio:
Yoko Sekino-Bové grew up in Tokyo, Japan. She worked as a graphic designer before her passion for ceramic art took her onto a new path.
After receiving an MFA in Ceramics from the University of Oklahoma, Yoko moved to Washington, Pennsylvania, and started working from her home studio. Her porcelain work has been exhibited in galleries, museums, and most importantly, many private homes (mainly kitchens). Yoko participated in several residencies, such as the Arts/Industry residency at John Michael Kohler Art Center, the Archie Bray Foundation, and at Cerdeira Village in Portugal.
Her work has also been shown in Canada, Portugal, Japan, Latvia, Turkey, Dominican Republic, and South Korea. Her works are featured in “500 cups”, “500 platters and chargers”, “500 teapot volume 2”, “Humor in Craft”, and “Cast” as well as a variety of periodicals. She writes articles for The Pottery Making Illustrated Magazine and Ceramics Monthly Magazine.
