"Thank you for paying a visit to the Blue Bear Vending Co, a mixed media artist studio and online store based in East Anglia in the United Kingdom.
My name is Joanna, a British artist making work which most frequently draws on a love of and interest in Japan; particularly folklore and folktales, the microseasons, architecture and the relationship between old and new which co-exists there so well. I studied architecture at undergraduate level, but only began to make art later on in life as a response to my travels in and around Japan - ten years after my first visit, I still couldn't find much in English about some aspects of Japanese life, and so began by writing fictional blog stories that shared aspects of folklore, seasonal recordings and yōkai culture as I was learning about them. Since that time more and more accessible information about microseasons and other cultural aspects has become available, most importantly from the Japanese perspective and so the blog stories naturally wound down. I have continued to follow the calendar of 72 microseasons ever since, finding my own 'little seasons'; documenting some years on social media (once again in 2025) and for two years on a project/ collaboration with US potter Betsy Williams, which resulted in a book.
Over time, my work has expanded from works on paper in collage and paint, to ceramics (I have a small pottery set up and kiln) and wood art - everyday life mixed in with an imagined world has begun to layer with the Japanese influence as I play with the things that interest me. A childhood fascination with vending machines and other machinery that humans interact with in daily life turned into a life-long love and one that has featured in my work from the outset.
When visiting Japan as an introverted person, I found the status as an outsider that is automatically applied to any foreigner there a deeply comforting experience; I was able to cope with crowds of people in a way I could not in the U.K. or other countries - and from this new freedom was able to experience the cities, particularly Tokyo, in an anxiety-free and safe-feeling way. Whereas I found city-living an uncomfortable and often frightening experience (I lived and worked in London from 1998 to 2013), travelling in Japan allowed me to spend time in cities and particularly explore the urban environment, the architecture and the culture without the constant underlying anxiety - I could even attend and enjoy crowded events such as festivals for the first time. I was also particularly struck with how the seasons were still tangible in a place that might be expected to be disconnected from nature, and how the natural world can be represented and respected through decor, customs, flowers, food and seasonal celebrations; also how birds and animals showed up in the urban environment. The grounds of shrines and temples as well as the large parks and green spaces also meant that nature was never far away, and I was able to discover Japanese flora and fauna long before I ever began to venture out of the cities on later visits. It is a great privilege to be able to make a connection with a culture other than one's own, and I do my best to express respect and care with my work at all times; I hope this comes through.
The largest component of my work in recent years has been the 'wood girls', originating from the Japanese folk craft of kokeshi as well as Tudor stump and contemporary peg dolls. I work with an English woodturner to produce my own 'wood girl' shapes with lathe turning techniques commonly used here in the UK. I then handpaint and often add shapes to them, to represent a Japanese seasonal celebration, the current animal zodiac year, food or other interests such as everyday objects, star-gazing and moon viewing, ceramic decoration and architecture. It is my hope that my wood girls might be accepted within the Sosaku or 'creative' world of kokeshi. Unlike the traditional folk craft of Dentō kokeshi, which are deeply rooted to their places of manufacture (most often onsen resort towns) within Japan and made with very specific body shapes and decoration, often by generations of the same family, Sosaku kokeshi are not associated with any particular region or style and often made by artists unconnected to craft families. Apart from the fact that they are still turned on a lathe, their styles and decoration are pretty much limitless. This genre has artists creating work in Japan as well as some formally recognised in other countries.
Since 2024 I have been experimenting with making 'gently moving objects' that give an extra dimension to some of my work and am excited to see where this takes me in the next few years.
I am largely self taught, a very slow growth which suits me fine, and allows me to learn at my own pace and from my own mistakes."
Joanna, April 2025.
