Moonlight Mikata

“Carefully crafted “mingei” inspired pieces infused with a whimsical soul.

Hoping to help you feel more centered in this crazy, crazy world.”

What part of your story, what moment in time, led you to where you are today? Is there a particular part of your unique story you want to share?

I think it’s all the little moments that led me to where I’m at. 

I’m finally feeling a little more comfortable calling myself an artist, which is weird because looking back, it’s the only way I’ve ever dealt with being a little weirdo growing up. (Still am.)

I grew up between Japan and America, always the shortest one in the class, but some of my teachers saw me. 

My art teacher when I was in Detroit taught me the fundamentals I still use today. I remember my music teacher in Japan staying inside to play drums with me at recess because I was a kid with cooties.

My grandmothers have also influenced me a lot. 

My Southern belle Granny Mae. New Orleans. Sparkling blue eyes. Always asks about boys. Gifted with the lipliner. Jazz. Playing together with the bags and bags of mardi gras beads she would send me. Oil painted classic cars. Hot glue gun connoisseur. Dressed up as a witch on Halloween and came to lead my elementary school parade.

My Japanese grandmother Chiyo. Tokushima, Japan. The most hardworking woman on the plant. Survived the war. Frugal AF. She’s always moving around, doing things for other people, that makes you want to tie her down to a chair. She can make ANYTHING out of nothing. The coolest knitted cardigan. A sweet potato from her garden. Freshly made udon noodles, from scratch. Best cook on the planet, hands down.

Juxtaposition is sometimes hard in life, because we live in a society where we want to fit everyone neatly into boxes. Which I personally believe is unrealistic and a means of control. (Which is a whole different conversation.) 

But luckily for me, juxtaposition is handy when it comes to art. 

And it’s made a way for me to access what is uniquely inside me.

That’s what I want moonlight mikata to feel like.

Something that is deeply within me, being recognized by something deeply with you.

And maybe by doing that, we can both learn to love all the parts of ourselves a little bit more.  

What was you first calling to create moonlight mikata? Do you remember your first experiences with ceramics? What did they look like and feel?

I guess I’m what some would call a “covid potter”.

The first class I ever took was during covid, and I was so excited and scared at the same time. 

Excited because I had always wanted to try my hand at ceramics (so my partner, who is my biggest cheerleader surprised me with classes for my birthday), but I was also new in town, didn’t know anybody, and was trying something new. The anxiety was no joke.

But then, I did it, and it felt amazing. 

Really freeing. It was the first big lesson of many in letting go and slowing down. 

And making great new friends. And healing old wounds.

And using every skill/ art medium I had acquired along the way thus far.

And then the really crazy part of me kicked in, and decided that this was the next medium for the business I was going to build. I took business classes online and really dug into why I wanted to do this. I became obsessed. 

I’m happy my friends still like me.

What does a day in the studio look like? Can you paint a picture with words that lets us into this process?

Every day is different. 

I usually have multiple projects going at once, and as far as clay is concerned, it’s not on my time. 

Things dry at different paces, and different pieces require different details and attention, etc.

Some days I’ll throw on the wheel. Some days I’ll hand build. Some days are filled with cleaning and photography and recycling clay and posting online. 

I’m still figuring out the flow of things. 

It’s requiring me to stay mindful and creative in my problem solving. 

Where were you working out of before? What made you want to expand your space?

Out of a small corner in a room of our house. With carpet.

Looking back, I can’t believe I made that work. 

What made me want to expand my space? 

The carpet. 

And more space for the ever growing clay experiments.

And a space for my very own kiln.

What is your most beloved part of creating ceramic pieces?

Being able to make something out of dirt.

Something so unthreatening and childlike, can be used to make my thoughts and feelings come to life. 

Combined with the thoughts and feelings of the clay and what it wants to do.

It’s a conversation, a compromise, riddled with happy surprises. 

The best stuff happens when I can allow myself to play. Then refine. 

As you grow and continue as a business what are things you want to do more of, and what are things you would like to transition away from?

I want to make more art.

I have a tendency to make things more “practical”. 

It’s a habit I’m trying to break/ balance.

I just recently visited the ceramic artist Cybele Rowe in the Yucca Valley and was graciously given a tour of her work. She said she made “beautiful objects, that are to be admired”.

That was freeing to hear.

I want to do that.

How has your studio/ shed helped in the expansion of your business?

It gives me a place to laser focus and create. 

I have my own kiln in there now, which gives me more control over firing schedules to keep up with demand. 

I’ve been a part of the highway 62 art tours in the yucca valley for a few years now, and this studio has definitely helped in giving me more space to do my work. I’ve been a part of a few markets in the Ojai valley, and am making more art friends here. I can update my online shop with more of my pieces because I now have this studio. 

It’s my little slice of heaven. I feel incredibly lucky. Thank you guys.

What are you learning to love that you didn’t know you could love as you move into the next phases of business and discovery?

The surprises. 

I didn’t know if my nervous system could handle the unknown landscape of what’s to come when being an artist and running a business, but it feels like as long as my intentions are clear, honest, and grounded, the most wonderful folks with helping hands seem to pop up into my life. Nothing great was ever accomplished alone. That was a hard lesson to learn. 

The help I got creating this shed, allows me to do my work, so my work can help others.

I think it’s all a chain reaction. 

Thank you guys for putting care and love into what you do. This world needs more of it.