About
Hi, I’m Chyako
I'm a native of Japan. I never thought I'd become a potter when I was a child, but the fateful moment came when I decided to attend college in America.
My first ceramics teacher, David Hunt, taught clay as a metaphor for life. He introduced me to the life of an artist, and through pottery, it was as if I saw who I was for the first time in my life.
I started teaching ceramics in 1996 at Colorado Timberline Academy, a private boarding school in Durango, CO. I taught throughout my career as a potter, including the enrichment courses at Fort Lewis College.
I have owned YUNOMI Pottery Studio for the past fourteen years, where I could fully materialize the environment I wanted for myself and my students.
My path as a potter
What is it like to dedicate your life to something that you love? That was the question I asked myself wondering what I should do with my life as a young person. In my Artist's Statement, I wrote, "To keep the joy alive is my goal."
To further my understanding, I studied with many master potters, including Biz Littell, Judy Day, Tom Coleman, Jack Troy, Steven Hill, Randy Broadnax, Meira Mathison, Linda and Charlie Riggs, and Matt Long, at Laloba Ranch Clay Center in Steamboat Springs, where I was an Artist in Residence between 2000-2004.
Earlier in my career, I exhibited in galleries in Durango, Steamboat Springs, CO and Santa Fe, NM.
Creating Yunomi
I love teaching people how to throw. Throwing on the wheel is not just a skill. It’s a process and experience. It takes a long time to learn. I particularly like teaching beginners because I love seeing all the initial discoveries they make. It’s one of the richest times in the entire journey as a potter, and I love helping people with that.
Running and owning YUNOMI Pottery Studio has allowed me to focus my time on teaching. This has been the most interesting twist in my career.
It’s such a joy to share what I love with people. YUNOMI has also allowed me to keep mentoring those who want to continue to learn through membership and make it become a part of their lives.
This small studio is a perfect format for teaching, mentoring, and making my own pottery. I keep it small and personal to allow time for both solitude and relationships.
“Clay asks me to be wiser. It demands me to slow down, focus, and be patient.”
– Chyako Hashimoto
On clay and centering
Clay has a concrete reality. You have to touch it, feel it, and learn from it.
Clay has always been a teacher for me. The metaphor of "centering" stretches into all aspects of my life. Clay asks me to be wiser. It demands that I slow down, focus, and be patient. This is a humbling experience, as we must learn from our mistakes on the wheel and crash many pots.
I find the philosophy of making pottery and meditation practice a perfect fit. Like in meditation, you can enter the present moment while throwing. You don't think about other things—or else, the clay will let you know.
I'm grateful to be able to share my passion with many people through the studio. When you first start learning how to throw, it’s great to have a small group of people having a similar experience: that makes it joyous and eases the struggles and frustrations that may come with learning something new.