Chanakarn “Punch” Semachai

Clay body: Standard 182 white stoneware with grog

Firing temperature: Functional: Cone 6. Sculptural: Cone 02.

Atmosphere: Oxidation

Surface treatment: Amaco Velvet underglaze

Forming method: Coil building

Favorite tools in your toolbox: Xiem retractable scoring tool, surgical scalpel, red Mudtools rib, Shimpo banding wheel.

Website and online shop:  www.numpucsh.com 

Social media: Instagram @numpucsh_ceramics and @numpucsh

Describe the first piece you made in clay that you felt like your own style. In my second year of graduate school, I pulled an all-nighter to make a 4-foot-tall dinosaur sculpture on a whim. I thought dinosaurs would struggle to blend into the modern world. The next morning, a friend asked if I felt like a dinosaur trying to fit into the Western world. That insight clicked, and I’ve been developing my artwork in that direction ever since.

What are you inspired by? My artwork celebrates the small things we overlook and embraces individual differences. I’m most inspired by people, new environments, traveling, and different cultures, which help shake up my autopilot life.

Best piece of advice you ever received? The world is small and our clay community is even smaller, so treat others how you want to be treated.

Best advice you can give to other potters? Set a goal for yourself as a person and as an artist. Stay true to it, but allow it to evolve over time. Embrace the journey and make sure you enjoy the process.

Describe your studio. My tiny home studio is a converted spare bedroom. A space of 100 square feet (9.2 square meters) with two worktables, shelves, and a nice ergonomic chair because lower back pain is real. An inspiration wall is filled with prints, postcards, and Polaroids of friends. My kiln is a couple of steps away in the back of the house.

Best thing about your studio? Having a studio at home is my favorite aspect. I love that I don’t have to commute, especially in Bangkok traffic.

Wish list for your studio? A frontloading kiln and a manual scissor-lift table so I can build bigger sculptures independently.

Describe a typical day or session in the studio. I wish I could spend more time in the studio. However, with my full-time and parttime jobs taking up the whole week, I only get to work in the studio, mainly at night. My schedule often comes down to deadlines, determining whether I stay up all night or get a bit more sleep.

To read more about Punch’s process, take a look at her article Discreetly Adding Function.

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Topics: Ceramic Artists
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