Talking ceramics with Reiko Kaneko

Since graduating from Central St Martins College in 2007, British-Japanese designer hasn't looked back. In 2009, she was shortlisted for the Elle Decoration UK Design of the Year. She has also won the Hidden Art Award for her unique ceramics and home accessories, which combine humour and style in a highly original way. We caught up with the young designer to talk rice bowls, "Crunchie Fridays" and why she couldn't live without her sketchbooks.

Establishing my own London studio has... certainly not been easy but I wouldn't have had it any other way and there's still an awful lot to do!

I first became interested in ceramics with... my family. We all had mismatched rice bowls and chopsticks and each of us had our own bowl with different designs.

When drinking sake at restaurants... they come out sometimes with a basket of different cups you choose from. During tea ceremonies (my grandmother was a tea sensei) you're obliged to look at the cup and speak highly of it.

All this choosing, looking and appreciating of china must... have seeped in somewhere from an early age! Although I love ceramics with its production processes, it's the ideas behind the pieces that really excite me.

I don't purposefully set out to... push either my Japanese or my English heritages, but my interests and observations are so ingrained in these cultures, they seem to seep naturally through in my products.

I couldn't have expressed my ideas through ceramics... had there not been an industry in England. The bone China industry in Stoke on Trent was enormous at one point and it's sad because much of it has moved abroad.

Because I'm essentially working with earth... production processes for new shapes are often unpredictable. But I'm still learning through the experience of model makers, block makers and casters as to what works and how to make the best possible go of it.

Without their knowledge and flexibility... I wouldn't know where to start. There's an art to production and I think it's important that there are at least some people who know what they're talking about left in every country.

There's many people I admire... but at the moment, it's the graphic designer Stephan Sagmeister. His personality always shows through in his work and I like his idea of taking a retirement year every seven years to refresh your creative side!

The thing I love most about my work is... the excitement of an idea that clicks into place, and then seeing it realised as object in bone china.

My average day involves.... walking to the studio where I work on all the different aspects of the business. Mainly sending out orders, planning and whatever it takes for a smooth running of the business. Most of the design and creative side is done in the evenings and free weekends.

We have our studio rituals.... mainly "Crunchie Fridays" and grabbing Gozlems (Turkish pancakes with spinach) for lunch!

I couldn't live without... my sketchbooks - I became slightly obsessed with these at college. Now, my obsession is under control but I'm happiest making plans and far fetched ideas in my book.

My pet hate is... the dramatic pauses before announcing winners on tv.

If I could be anywhere in the world right now... I would normally say home, but since that's in London in mid January and I can hear the downpour outside, I'd love to be exploring South East Asia - Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam.

I love... collecting little tit bits of advice. I was reading an interview on Seal the other week and one piece of advice struck me, ""Do without Doing" let things happen organically. Be open, let life breathe. Don't force it to comply with some preconceived pattern."

The five words the best describe me are.... quietly spoken, calmly busy and warm.

My personal style is... the opposite of my bright white china in that I wear a lot of black (with the odd splash of colour).

I was really chuffed... that Elle Deco nominated my Floaty Ovangkol table for the UK design of the year but there have been so many little milestones that have made me dance around the room .

My favourite website is... I have so many I keep an eye on. But the best at the moment for me has to be TED.com, "Ideas Worth Spreading" show videos of talks by inspiring people who have achieved a great deal.

Visit www.reikokaneko.co.uk

Emily Jenkinson

14 January 2010