How a Master Changed the Way I See July 06, 2026John Macato How a chance introduction to master potter Nishihara Akira led to the Shuhari Collection — a saggar-fired collaboration between two ceramic traditions.
Arita: Between Perfection and Imperfection May 02, 2026John Macato Working in Arita means entering a place where precision has been refined over centuries. There is a clarity to the porcelain here. A discipline. Forms are balanced, surfaces are controlled,...
Inside the Kiln: Encountering Arita Porcelain Through Fire May 02, 2026John Macato There is no direct way to see what happens inside a saggar. Once sealed and placed in the kiln, the process disappears from view. Fire moves, materials react, and surfaces...
Letting Go of Control: Fire, Chance, and the Making of Meaning May 02, 2026John Macato It was 6 a.m. on a cold winter morning in Arita. I had been invited to present my work to a small group gathered for a Rotary Club breakfast. We...
Between Chouquettes and Strangers’ Stories September 10, 2025John Macato And on that second day in Paris—between chouquettes, strangers’ stories, dismissive glances, and one unexpected question—I remembered why I chose this life. Not because it is easy, but because it...
Saggar Firing — Capturing the Imprint of Nature August 21, 2025John Macato Saggar firing is a process where fire becomes both painter and storyteller.
From the Field to the Kiln August 21, 2025John Macato For years, my life unfolded in places where devastation was a daily reality. I worked as a humanitarian in communities scarred by the violence of war and the ferocity of...
