Sakurai Minako is a ceramic artist based in a mountain village near the historic Japanese town of Nara. She started her artistic career rather late, after working in the business world and as a gallerist, including a period spent in France.

 

During her apprenticeship to master potter Kimura Kada, Minako developed her own style, which led to the establishment of her own studio, Orumina Kiln.

 

Minako's signature style includes the use of beautifully weathered surface textures, which she developed through trial and error. In her own words: "The firing is never the same. I am often amazed by results that are beyond my expectations, such as the colour of a darkening evening sky or cherry tree bark with a hint of pink. I prefer conjuring a serendipitous effect to a perfectly achieved intention."