We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Joan Takayama-Ogawa a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Joan, so good to have you with us today. We’ve always been impressed with folks who have a very clear sense of purpose and so maybe we can jump right in and talk about how you found your purpose?
My parents always encouraged me to follow my heart but not develop heart disease. They had absolute confidence in me to give it my all when motivated.
I was a fish out of water most of my years in school. I found so many subjects fascinating and did not pursue anything that seemed wrong or a bad fit. When I touched clay, I knew that if I did not drop everything, I would not be happy. I could not wait until I had enough money to become a studio artist, because I would be miserable while I waited.
Time has never been known to wait for anyone.
Now looking back, I have lived the life I was born to be.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I work in clay. My family has worked in clay since the 15th century in Japan. When I touched clay and fell in love, my dad told me about his family. A gene popped and I knew clay was my way.
In 2022, the Craft in American Center sponsored my 30-year survey, Ceramic Beacon. The show traveled to the Riverside Art Museum in 2023.
Since 1986, I taught at Otis College of Art and Design in many departments. Now, I am a professor in ceramics, product design, Liberal Arts and Sciences, and Creative Action.
Upcoming events? In fall 2024, I will appear in the PBS series Craft in America. Stay tuned.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
1. Thorough technical training in ceramics and continued growth in areas in clay that are weaknesses and not always natural. I like to think I run towards problems in clay. Nothing beats having an extensive education as I can adjust and make just about anything I want to pursue. I had many great clay instructors. Los Angeles became my campus. I went where the best skills were taught. The late Ralph Bacerra made all the difference in my ceramic education.
2. Financial literacy and the ability to live under my means. I love to listen to CNBC while I work in the studio, drive to Otis, and learn about world events and innovations through a financial lens. When I invest in a stock, I buy when others are fearful and sell when others are greedy, as Warren Buffet advises. Teachers and artists are not perceived as making a lot of money and are often thought of as “starving.” That is not the case. We can research, wait for opportunities, and be contrarian thinkers.
3. I married well, not rich, but well.
What was the most impactful thing your parents did for you?
My parents broke the residential color line in Pasadena, CA. They withstood racial prejudice but knew that the public school was one of the top schools in the US. Over time, my parents crossed the racial color barrier because they had a sense of elegant style, were highly educated and informed, lived under our means, and were extremely talented and hard-working. We had enough.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.joantakayamaogawa.com/
- Instagram: jtakayama4
- Facebook: Joan Takayama-Ogawa
- Linkedin: Joan Takayama-Ogawa
- Youtube: Joan Takayam-Ogawa
Image Credits
Kai Him Kwok, and Joan Takayama-Ogawa
