Ryan Paonessa

Anyone who knows me (or has visited my home), is aware of my infatuation with pottery and ceramics. To me, pottery reflects the essence of good utilitarian design. I am most drawn to the harmony achieved by the blending of craft, function, and aesthetics. When traveling, I often opt for a functional, locally-made bowl, cup, or plate to bring home as a souvenir instead of a useless trinket.

Besides the pieces I've picked up while traveling, I've been slowly collecting, and sometimes gifted, pieces over the years from a couple of USA-based makers and brands. One of those is Hasami Porcelain, a pottery brand created by California-based Tortoise General Store founder, Takuhiro Shinomoto. Hasami Porcelain reflects Takuhiro's vision to blend the aesthetics and functionality of modern tableware with the 400-year old pottery traditions from the Hasami District of Nagasaki, Japan. The results, as shown in the below photos, are clean, beautifully-designed pieces that are reminiscent of traditional Japanese dinnerware that is often modular and flexible in their use.

Learn more at hasami-porcelain.com