During my time at Shiro Oni Studio I created a collection of seven vessels titled ‘The Ephemeral Being Who Tried to Take Root’. This idea began to take shape after rediscovering a playlist my friend (thank you, Bryan) sent me titled Ephemeral Pools. When I asked him about the name, he explained that our friendship reminded him of an ephemeral pool - the only difference was that we reappeared. Ephemeral pools, temporary bodies of water that form after rainfall or snowmelt, existing only for a short time before they vanish. Their impermanence shapes unique yet fragile ecosystems.  The idea of a person embodying the characteristics of an ephemeral pool stayed with me. It’s a curious thing, how closely human behavior can mimic natural phenomena. After arriving in Onishi, I discovered the Onishi Tales hanging on the fridge in the Shiro Oni artist’s house. Stories like Footprints of De-erabochi Giants, Manganseki Stone, and Mountain Trail at Night inspired me to transform the concept of a person like an ephemeral pool into a short story about an ephemeral being, told through vessels. Each vessel I made has been photographed and named after a line from the story I wrote.

It’s a short story but I hope you enjoy it.