Ceramic Artist
I-Fang Tsai
Implanting the four seasons and the temperature of life in Yangmingshan with ceramics.
Originally from Yilan, Taiwan, ceramicist Yi-Fang Tsai's life and creations have always been closely connected to the land. Her works are not perfect at first glance, full of clay texture and uneven colors, but they exude a unique handfeel that allows her to feel the warmth of the vessels even in a cool room. Her childhood memories are always accompanied by painting and reading, which is how she talks to herself. After the ups and downs of her life, she went back to her father's studio and learned the art of pottery step by step, starting from the simplest painting and trimming, and in 2015 she had her first exhibition, and in 2020 she set up her own studio. She often says that it is a rare fortune in her life to be able to embrace a forgotten passion after 30 years of age, and to be able to make a stable living as a professional. This unique arrogance and modesty makes her laugh and say that she is just a "potter".Ā
My relationship with YMS began with an invitation. At that time, all she knew was that she was going to design tableware for a "restaurant on Yangmingshan Mountain". In her eyes, Yangmingshan is a place with four distinct seasons, dazzling clouds and mist, and a haven that instantly soothes the mind. "When I feel agitated in the city, I feel refreshed when I go to the mountain," she says. This intuitive feeling has also become the inspiration for her works.
Even for the same vessel, the change of clay and glaze will show the mark of different seasons. She chooses to use the changes in glaze color and clay to show the flow of the seasons. The cherry blossom pink in spring comes from the subtle pinkish-white color of the glaze blending with the soil; the emerald green in summer carries the yellowish-green tone of the iron; the golden yellow in autumn is piled up through the depths and shades of the soil; and the frosty white in winter resembles the transparency and serenity of the fog after it has condensed. She hopes that these details will make people feel that Yangmingshan is not just a backdrop for the venue, but that it really comes into the dining room, onto the table, and becomes part of their daily life experience.
Balance between modernity and feel
YMS by onefifteen gives her a sense of modernity. In the early stages of her work, she tries to combine this "contemporary vocabulary" with "natural texture". "Life shouldn't be cold and perfect, but real with a few imperfections and textures." She chooses iron-bearing minerals to bring out the yellow-green flavor of the earth in the luster and glaze color. On the surface of the vessels, there are subtle mineral textures and particles, and when touched by the fingers, one can feel the real warmth.
"I hope that these tableware are not just delicate, but also bring tactile memories. Life doesn't need to be perfect. Some distortions, some flimsiness are closer to reality." She believes that when customers touch these utensils, they will realize that they are not cold industrial products, but have a sense of time and warmth.
The Challenge of Creativity and Business
This was her first time making practical tableware for a restaurant, and in the process she experienced the challenge of moving from creation to commerce. Unlike her past creations, she had to consider practical conditions such as stacking, durability, and standardization. Within this framework, she still wants to preserve the uniqueness of handmade vessels.
The simplest things are actually the most difficult," she admits. In order to find the right clay and glaze, she has failed countless times, repeatedly adjusting the ratio of clays and trying new clays, trying to find a balance between "stacking, durability, and aesthetics" in order to present the aura of Yangmingshan in her mind. "It was a big learning curve for me to strike a balance between 'practicality' and 'art'," she laughs. She laughs. But when customers actually touch these "warm tableware", the surprise is the soul of her work.
The Heart Behind the Vessel
Yi-Fang Tsai has always been in love with old buildings and traditional aesthetics. She believes that life is not just about replicating modern conveniences, but bringing back the beauty of the past and interpreting it in contemporary language. This collaboration allows her to seal the expressions of Yangmingshan into the tableware, and adds a layer of time and nature to the YMS table.
"I imagine a table that is not flawless, but rather one where you can touch the details of the table. When a customer notices the texture of a vessel while dining, and even feels pleasure from touching it, that's what I want to happen."
In the expression of her works, Yifang often tries to abstract the "language"; she hopes that people can see in her works a little bit of uncomfortable persistence, a little bit of weird beauty of the lost world. By using stacked texture and hand-kneaded organic lines, she expresses her tactile senses; and by sanding the undried adobe, she leaves tiny scratches and inlays of earthy colors, like the traces of time passing by. Even when creating more pleasing shapes, the final aura of the work still carries a hint of shadiness. If the viewer can still enjoy such works, she will be extremely happy.
For Yi-Fang Tsai, this collaboration is not only about designing tableware, but also about expressing a philosophy of life. Utensils are not just containers for cooking, they carry the colors of the four seasons of Yangmingshan and the thoughts of the staff. When food and utensils meet, the dining table becomes a warm place that connects nature, brands and life.
"I want to bring back the beauty of the past and interpret it in a present way." Yi-Fang Tsai's ceramics have brought the four seasons of Yangmingshan to the table, and added an intimate resonance from the land and life to every meal at YMS.
Ceramic Artist
I-Fang Tsai
Implanting the four seasons and the temperature of life in Yangmingshan with ceramics.
Originally from Yilan, Taiwan, ceramicist Yi-Fang Tsai's life and creations have always been closely connected to the land. Her works are not perfect at first glance, full of clay texture and uneven colors, but they exude a unique handfeel that allows her to feel the warmth of the vessels even in a cool room. Her childhood memories are always accompanied by painting and reading, which is how she talks to herself. After the ups and downs of her life, she went back to her father's studio and learned the art of pottery step by step, starting from the simplest painting and trimming, and in 2015 she had her first exhibition, and in 2020 she set up her own studio. She often says that it is a rare fortune in her life to be able to embrace a forgotten passion after 30 years of age, and to be able to make a stable living as a professional. This unique arrogance and modesty makes her laugh and say that she is just a "potter".Ā
My relationship with YMS began with an invitation. At that time, all she knew was that she was going to design tableware for a "restaurant on Yangmingshan Mountain". In her eyes, Yangmingshan is a place with four distinct seasons, dazzling clouds and mist, and a haven that instantly soothes the mind. "When I feel agitated in the city, I feel refreshed when I go to the mountain," she says. This intuitive feeling has also become the inspiration for her works.
Even for the same vessel, the change of clay and glaze will show the mark of different seasons. She chooses to use the changes in glaze color and clay to show the flow of the seasons. The cherry blossom pink in spring comes from the subtle pinkish-white color of the glaze blending with the soil; the emerald green in summer carries the yellowish-green tone of the iron; the golden yellow in autumn is piled up through the depths and shades of the soil; and the frosty white in winter resembles the transparency and serenity of the fog after it has condensed. She hopes that these details will make people feel that Yangmingshan is not just a backdrop for the venue, but that it really comes into the dining room, onto the table, and becomes part of their daily life experience.
Balance between modernity and feel
YMS by onefifteen gives her a sense of modernity. In the early stages of her work, she tries to combine this "contemporary vocabulary" with "natural texture". "Life shouldn't be cold and perfect, but real with a few imperfections and textures." She chooses iron-bearing minerals to bring out the yellow-green flavor of the earth in the luster and glaze color. On the surface of the vessels, there are subtle mineral textures and particles, and when touched by the fingers, one can feel the real warmth.
"I hope that these tableware are not just delicate, but also bring tactile memories. Life doesn't need to be perfect. Some distortions, some flimsiness are closer to reality." She believes that when customers touch these utensils, they will realize that they are not cold industrial products, but have a sense of time and warmth.
The Challenge of Creativity and Business
This was her first time making practical tableware for a restaurant, and in the process she experienced the challenge of moving from creation to commerce. Unlike her past creations, she had to consider practical conditions such as stacking, durability, and standardization. Within this framework, she still wants to preserve the uniqueness of handmade vessels.
The simplest things are actually the most difficult," she admits. In order to find the right clay and glaze, she has failed countless times, repeatedly adjusting the ratio of clays and trying new clays, trying to find a balance between "stacking, durability, and aesthetics" in order to present the aura of Yangmingshan in her mind. "It was a big learning curve for me to strike a balance between 'practicality' and 'art'," she laughs. She laughs. But when customers actually touch these "warm tableware", the surprise is the soul of her work.
The Heart Behind the Vessel
Yi-Fang Tsai has always been in love with old buildings and traditional aesthetics. She believes that life is not just about replicating modern conveniences, but bringing back the beauty of the past and interpreting it in contemporary language. This collaboration allows her to seal the expressions of Yangmingshan into the tableware, and adds a layer of time and nature to the YMS table.
"I imagine a table that is not flawless, but rather one where you can touch the details of the table. When a customer notices the texture of a vessel while dining, and even feels pleasure from touching it, that's what I want to happen."
In the expression of her works, Yifang often tries to abstract the "language"; she hopes that people can see in her works a little bit of uncomfortable persistence, a little bit of weird beauty of the lost world. By using stacked texture and hand-kneaded organic lines, she expresses her tactile senses; and by sanding the undried adobe, she leaves tiny scratches and inlays of earthy colors, like the traces of time passing by. Even when creating more pleasing shapes, the final aura of the work still carries a hint of shadiness. If the viewer can still enjoy such works, she will be extremely happy.
For Yi-Fang Tsai, this collaboration is not only about designing tableware, but also about expressing a philosophy of life. Utensils are not just containers for cooking, they carry the colors of the four seasons of Yangmingshan and the thoughts of the staff. When food and utensils meet, the dining table becomes a warm place that connects nature, brands and life.
"I want to bring back the beauty of the past and interpret it in a present way." Yi-Fang Tsai's ceramics have brought the four seasons of Yangmingshan to the table, and added an intimate resonance from the land and life to every meal at YMS.
Ceramic Artist
I-Fang Tsai
Implanting the four seasons and the temperature of life in Yangmingshan with ceramics.
Originally from Yilan, Taiwan, ceramicist Yi-Fang Tsai's life and creations have always been closely connected to the land. Her works are not perfect at first glance, full of clay texture and uneven colors, but they exude a unique handfeel that allows her to feel the warmth of the vessels even in a cool room. Her childhood memories are always accompanied by painting and reading, which is how she talks to herself. After the ups and downs of her life, she went back to her father's studio and learned the art of pottery step by step, starting from the simplest painting and trimming, and in 2015 she had her first exhibition, and in 2020 she set up her own studio. She often says that it is a rare fortune in her life to be able to embrace a forgotten passion after 30 years of age, and to be able to make a stable living as a professional. This unique arrogance and modesty makes her laugh and say that she is just a "potter".Ā
My relationship with YMS began with an invitation. At that time, all she knew was that she was going to design tableware for a "restaurant on Yangmingshan Mountain". In her eyes, Yangmingshan is a place with four distinct seasons, dazzling clouds and mist, and a haven that instantly soothes the mind. "When I feel agitated in the city, I feel refreshed when I go to the mountain," she says. This intuitive feeling has also become the inspiration for her works.
Even for the same vessel, the change of clay and glaze will show the mark of different seasons. She chooses to use the changes in glaze color and clay to show the flow of the seasons. The cherry blossom pink in spring comes from the subtle pinkish-white color of the glaze blending with the soil; the emerald green in summer carries the yellowish-green tone of the iron; the golden yellow in autumn is piled up through the depths and shades of the soil; and the frosty white in winter resembles the transparency and serenity of the fog after it has condensed. She hopes that these details will make people feel that Yangmingshan is not just a backdrop for the venue, but that it really comes into the dining room, onto the table, and becomes part of their daily life experience.
Balance between modernity and feel
YMS by onefifteen gives her a sense of modernity. In the early stages of her work, she tries to combine this "contemporary vocabulary" with "natural texture". "Life shouldn't be cold and perfect, but real with a few imperfections and textures." She chooses iron-bearing minerals to bring out the yellow-green flavor of the earth in the luster and glaze color. On the surface of the vessels, there are subtle mineral textures and particles, and when touched by the fingers, one can feel the real warmth.
"I hope that these tableware are not just delicate, but also bring tactile memories. Life doesn't need to be perfect. Some distortions, some flimsiness are closer to reality." She believes that when customers touch these utensils, they will realize that they are not cold industrial products, but have a sense of time and warmth.
The Challenge of Creativity and Business
This was her first time making practical tableware for a restaurant, and in the process she experienced the challenge of moving from creation to commerce. Unlike her past creations, she had to consider practical conditions such as stacking, durability, and standardization. Within this framework, she still wants to preserve the uniqueness of handmade vessels.
The simplest things are actually the most difficult," she admits. In order to find the right clay and glaze, she has failed countless times, repeatedly adjusting the ratio of clays and trying new clays, trying to find a balance between "stacking, durability, and aesthetics" in order to present the aura of Yangmingshan in her mind. "It was a big learning curve for me to strike a balance between 'practicality' and 'art'," she laughs. She laughs. But when customers actually touch these "warm tableware", the surprise is the soul of her work.
The Heart Behind the Vessel
Yi-Fang Tsai has always been in love with old buildings and traditional aesthetics. She believes that life is not just about replicating modern conveniences, but bringing back the beauty of the past and interpreting it in contemporary language. This collaboration allows her to seal the expressions of Yangmingshan into the tableware, and adds a layer of time and nature to the YMS table.
"I imagine a table that is not flawless, but rather one where you can touch the details of the table. When a customer notices the texture of a vessel while dining, and even feels pleasure from touching it, that's what I want to happen."
In the expression of her works, Yifang often tries to abstract the "language"; she hopes that people can see in her works a little bit of uncomfortable persistence, a little bit of weird beauty of the lost world. By using stacked texture and hand-kneaded organic lines, she expresses her tactile senses; and by sanding the undried adobe, she leaves tiny scratches and inlays of earthy colors, like the traces of time passing by. Even when creating more pleasing shapes, the final aura of the work still carries a hint of shadiness. If the viewer can still enjoy such works, she will be extremely happy.
For Yi-Fang Tsai, this collaboration is not only about designing tableware, but also about expressing a philosophy of life. Utensils are not just containers for cooking, they carry the colors of the four seasons of Yangmingshan and the thoughts of the staff. When food and utensils meet, the dining table becomes a warm place that connects nature, brands and life.
"I want to bring back the beauty of the past and interpret it in a present way." Yi-Fang Tsai's ceramics have brought the four seasons of Yangmingshan to the table, and added an intimate resonance from the land and life to every meal at YMS.