Yukari Kashihara creates whimsical, nature-inspired masterpieces in clay
STORY AND PHOTOS by Sara Schafer
In the sunlight-filled gallery, dragonflies dance across pots, delicate trees climb the sides of vases and a tiny nest of blue eggs rests atop a whimsical elephant teapot. No two pieces are alike, and each carries the quiet wonder of the natural world. Each piece is inspiring, intriguing and the product of Yukari Kashihara’s hands.
For more than two decades, Yukari has honored nature and her Japanese roots by crafting porcelain ceramics in her home studio and gallery, Shirahaze Gallery in Rocheport. She shapes, paints and finishes each bowl, vase, plate and teapot by hand, making every one its own small masterpiece.
“My work is influenced by nature and my surroundings,” she says. “I like making functional pieces, where people can have a moment of pleasure or peace when they use it. I want people to just enjoy the moments of everyday life.”
A Journey to Clay
When Yukari, a member of Boone Electric Cooperative, sits down at her pottery wheel, she’s living out a dream that started when she was a little girl living 6,500 miles away in Osaka, Japan. Both of her parents love art, and that passion was passed down to Yukari.
“When I was in fourth grade, I knew what I wanted to do,” she says. “I always loved art, but I didn’t think that I could study art. I also wanted to study abroad. Japan is a monoculture, so I wanted to see what’s out there.”
In her early 20s, Yukari did just that. She left Japan and set her sights on an American college education. “When I came to Mizzou, I was going to study computer science,” she recalls. “But I took a basic art class and then a pottery class. I was in love. I was here all the way from Japan, so I decided I’m going to study art — I’m just going to do what I want to do.”
After earning a Master of Fine Arts degree in ceramics from the University of Missouri, Yukari made art her full-time focus. She and her husband, Thomas Scharenborg, bought a fixer-upper house in Rocheport. Slowly, they transformed it into their dream house and a gallery for both of their work. Thomas is a photographer who loves capturing images of the Missouri River, Katy Trail and other landscapes close to their home.
“I really love living in Missouri; when you live in one place long enough, it becomes your home,” Yukari says. “Living in Osaka, I don’t even know my neighbors. There were streets I had never even walked. So, comparing there and here, it’s totally opposite.”
No Two Alike
Most days, you’ll find Yukari in her basement studio shaping clay into teapots, cups, bowls, vases and more. Her work is porcelain and mostly wheel-thrown. She hand-paints delicate designs, and some of her work includes three-dimensional textures and sculptural elements.
“I want to make something that cannot be made in a factory,” she says. “If I’m going to be an artist and spend my life making pots, I’m going to make something that I’m the only one who can make it.”
Yukari is always experimenting with new shapes and pieces. She also makes custom dishes or vases by request. “One of my clients told me her granddaughter kept bringing her flowers without the stem,” she says. “So that’s how I started making little vases. I just try to make different stuff to keep me entertained — the last thing I want to do is be making mugs forever and ever, even though mugs are my best seller.”
The one constant in Yukari’s work is her focus on the natural world. “Growing up in Osaka, I think I always missed nature because you are living in a concrete jungle with all the noise,” she says. “I love hiking and backpacking, and so I love painting trees and flowers.”
Yukari sells her artwork at her home gallery and at select events. “Most full-time studio artists go to shows, and that’s the only way they can make a living,” she says. “I’m really lucky that I have a shop and I go to three major shows. That keeps me busy all year.”
Her hometown show is Columbia’s Art in the Park, which takes place in early June. Yukari will also exhibit at the Best of Missouri Market at the Missouri Botanical Garden in St. Louis on Oct. 9-11 and at the Unique Boutique at John Burroughs School in St. Louis from Nov. 21-22.
A Visual Diary
For Yukari, her pieces are more than functional ceramics. They bring joy to others while also reflecting the seasons of her own life. “As my life changes, my artwork changes,” she says. “It’s definitely a reflection of myself and my life.”
To see more of Yukari’s work, along with her Rocheport gallery location and hours, visit shirahaze.com. You can also contact her at 573-356-7154 or shirahaze@gmail.com.
Email Sara Schafer at sschafer@ruralmissouri.coop.