Full body portrait of ceramic artist Timi Lantos leaning against a fence in a garden with a flowering tree behind her
Ceramic artist Timi Lantos standing beside her Japanese master in a field, wearing a wide-brimmed hat and apron

About Wood Firing and My Journey to Japan

 

Since early childhood, I have been deeply fascinated by Eastern cultures.

I was fourteen years old when I first experienced firing a wood kiln, and even then I was completely captivated by this method of firing. During and after my university years, working with porcelain became the central focus of my artistic practice.

A turning point came in 2010, when I met Masakazu Kusakabe at the International Ceramic Studio. Watching him throw on the wheel was mesmerizing — the freedom and naturalness with which he touched the clay awakened in me a renewed thirst for knowledge and a deep desire to further explore Eastern approaches to ceramic art and object making.

I first traveled to Japan in 2015, invited by my master, Masakazu Kusakabe.

I spent three months in this extraordinary country. Working as an assistant, I helped build Kusakabe-sensei’s anagama kiln, participated in restoring the foundation of a noborigama kiln damaged by an earthquake in Mashiko, and also assisted in building a wood-fired kiln in a forest near Kyoto.

After those three months, I felt so deeply moved by the culture that I knew I wanted to return and gain a deeper understanding of the local materials and ceramic traditions.

Later that same year, I found a scholarship offered by the Japan-based Kanba Foundation for international ceramic artists to support their studies in Japan. I applied for the program, and in February 2016 I received the wonderful news that my application had been accepted.

After obtaining my visa, I arrived in Japan in May.

Ceramic artist Timi Lantos building a wood fired kiln with two Japanese men, leaning forward holding a clay vessel, wearing a straw hat
Close-up of ceramic artist Timi Lantos lighting incense at a Shinto shrine in Japan

From the very beginning, Mashiko became the center of my studies and artistic practice. I started working as a volunteer in a local studio while carrying out my scholarship program.

As time passed, I became increasingly enchanted by the spirit of the place and the character of the local clays and glazes. Because of this, I decided to extend my stay in Japan and continue studying local materials and firing techniques.

And so it happened that I have now been living in Japan, in Mashiko, for nearly ten years — teaching wheel throwing, participating in exhibitions, and taking part in craft fairs.


Timi Lantos
2026.05.10.