Working in Ishikawa Prefecture, Yukika Shibata is part of an exciting generation of artists bringing renewed freshness to the celebrated Kutani tradition. Her porcelain combines the extraordinary technical heritage of Kutani painting with an elegance and restraint that immediately distinguishes her work from many contemporary interpretations.

I first encountered Shibata san's work whilst travelling through Ishikawa and was immediately captivated by the sensitivity of her brushwork. A beautifully painted freshwater fish appeared almost alive upon the porcelain surface, rendered with such sympathy that it seemed ready to swim away. It was one of those rare moments when you instinctively know you have discovered an artist whose work deserves a wider audience.

For several years we had quietly searched for another Kutani artist capable of joining the gallery, perhaps unfairly measuring every discovery against the exceptionally high standard established by Yoca Muta. It is a testament to Yukika Shibata's talent that she is the artist who finally persuaded us the search was over.

Her work embraces Kutani's rich decorative tradition whilst remaining unmistakably contemporary, bringing freshness, elegance and quiet confidence to one of Japan's most celebrated ceramic lineages.