About Véronique Bogaert

 

After graduating from IHECS (Hautes Etudes de Communications Sociales), I worked one year as a translator in a bank. The greyness of the walls woke up my desire to see the colors of the world.

With a backpack and a little money in my pocket, I left for a journey that lasted more than 20 years ...

The adventure started in a kibbutz, a place where I began tasting the wonders of meeting people from all over the world. It was there that my desire to continue on my life's journey began.

From Egypt to New-Caledonia, it could have stopped there, in that marvellous kanak tribe where I lived for a few months. But the envy to keep on travelling was stronger : New-Zealand and then Australia where the beauty of the land kept me there for one year, and finally, the magic of Asia of which I never tire.

From Thailand through China, I arrived in Japan which became my country of adoption !

 

I had allready worked with clay (in the 'Academie des beaux-Arts de Tournai and the 'Academie voor Beeldende kunsten' in Anderlecht) thus Japan was for me the dream country : the ceramic art and craft is highly praised in this country and is a part of daily life.

This traditional art is appreciated to the extent that some potters even become 'national living treasures ', a sign of utmost recognition. This never ceases to amaze and enchant me ...

 

After spending two years in Tokyo and learning the japanese language, I arrived in Kasama, an important ceramic center near Mashiko, north of the capital.

I became an apprentice with a master potter for one year and a half and then completed my studies with a 6 months glaze course at the Technological Institute of Kasama.
After that, I had the chance to work with a wellknown local english potter, Roy Martin, who later became the father of my son.

Then I created my own studio, went solo and built a salt kiln.

My studio allowed me to become professional and little by little, built a clientele from all over Japan.

After my son was born, I decided to stop firing the salt kiln for ecological reasons . I then exclusively fired my work in a gaz kiln using reduction firing.

 

And then, a few years later, I felt the urge to let my son meet his roots ...

20 years had passed and I came back home ....

A piece of my heart still in Japan and my feet firmly here, a desire was born to create a ceramic studio where people can come, meet, share and play with clay ...

 

I found this place in Wezembeek-Oppem and I am glad to meet you here .