From a fast-paced life, an impatient nature, and a dislike for slowness, Ms. Nui - Supis from Supis Studio discovered a charm beyond artistic beauty when she started sculpting. Sculpting became a way to overcome certain personal limitations.
“I first tried sculpting 5-6 years ago, but due to my impatient nature, I felt that I was probably more suited to buying bisque and painting underglaze or patterns with glaze, rather than slowly building a piece by hand. So I stopped sculpting and focused solely on painting patterns. But last year, sculpting re-entered my life when an acquaintance gave me 10 kg of clay to try. At that time, I had just left my full-time job to pursue art as my main profession, which allowed me to slow down my daily life and have more time to understand myself and my surroundings. When I tried sculpting again this time, I discovered that there is a hidden charm in every step of the sculpting process, and each step helps me overcome my own limitations, especially my impatience and my expectations for the outcome.
"For example, when shaping by hand, I used to rush the process because I wanted to see the finished piece quickly. But now, I slowly shape it with patience, focusing on every step with concentration. Once it's sculpted, I know to wait for the clay to dry properly, not rushing the piece to finish in a short time like before. Before firing, I don't expect it to be perfect every time, because after firing, the piece might crack, the color might be off, or it might not turn out as expected. But those are lessons to learn from and slowly improve my flaws and mistakes. In a way, it allows my mind to absorb the slowness, making me calmer and enjoying the sculpting process, and anticipating the outcome every time a piece comes out of the kiln.
"Once I started to enjoy ceramic work, I began to search for other materials to experiment with. A friend happened to recommend a shop called Pottery Clay, which sells a wide variety of supplies. When I looked at it, I felt it was truly comprehensive. But as a beginner, I was only finding information on Google, and I didn't know if it was correct or not, so I decided to inquire with the shop. I always received good and clear advice, which made me a regular customer. The product I buy regularly and love very much is Keane clay. Because the clay contains small iron particles, when I sculpt and shape it, I can feel its roughness. After firing, it turns a khaki color with small specks, which adds a charm to my pieces.
"Another type of clay I really like is pre-colored clay because I'm fascinated by the colors. I use it to make show plates with beautiful colorful dots. And when I want a lighter color, PTC recommends mixing it with Snow White clay, which makes marbling more fun. In addition, Amaco colors offer a wide variety of choices, are easy to use, and produce more beautiful colors than regular colored clay.
"For Nui, sculpting is both a joy to create and a delight in my own imagination. It puts me in a flow state and helps me overcome my own expectations. When I used to feel restless, I would only draw, but now I can also sculpt clay. I get to put in effort and work with my hands.
"After opening Supis Studio, I have people who follow my artwork, some of whom admire it, some ask to buy pieces to collect, and some to use. Because I create art by slowly experimenting with myself first, slowly developing it at a comfortable pace. And the results that come out are pleasing to my heart, and having people who like and support it is enough to make me happy."