“I figured when I have nothing to fall back on (whether it is a full-time job or family backing) is probably when I will do everything I can to make it work.”
“It is this fire in our belly, to fill in that gap between high art ceramics and hobby craft pottery. We want people to use, and boast of our local ceramic craft in their homes as they serve their dinner guests, sip their morning cuppa and appreciate the hands that made it and be proud that it is local.”
“So a big part of our philosophy is to also be very sensitive to our pricing so that it is still affordable and accessible to the general public, and we do that by being self-sustaining and making what we can on our own which in fact makes our works uniquely Mud Rock because no one else has our glaze or clay recipes.”
“Singapore and the way we live, and eat, is our inspiration behind Mud Rock and its aesthetics. For example, we consider how a bowl of noodles will feel in one hand when eating in front of the tv, as we make the form.”
“Being an 80's kid, I grew up with Captain Planet, all the environmental mascots in Singapore, and water rationing exercises, so we had a very clear sense of how important resources are. Not just water, but energy as well. So sustainability has always been a BIG thing for us at Mud Rock.”
“The subject hasn't changed much over the years other than the urgency of the situation, so at Mud Rock we consider how to educate and share such values to our students and clients. Around the studio you will see posters/signs to use ceramics rather than takeaway, sip instead of straws, to use water preciously, to recycle clay etc. Our customers will find their pieces wrapped in recycled paper rather than bubblewrap.”
“We start with a cup of coffee at our studio's coffee bar. Always a flat white. By then I would already have figured out the priorities of the day. The usual day would have us taking meetings with clients, trimming or throwing pots, glazing, packing a kiln, teaching a class and finally replying emails haphazardly as we try to make it home/to bed.”
“On most days I get about 6 hours of sleep, on my day off I sleep in and get about 8 to 10 hours of sleep. I do feel more rested now than compared to a year ago.”
“I experienced burnout so many times, especially in the first 4 years of our business. I (the studio) adopted a dog to help us destress! Also at the end of the year, we make it a point to take a studio holiday to a cultural destination. I also like to wind down daily with a good glass of beer, and a book in hand.”
“Someone in my life who inspires me is Rebecca Lee-Steere, my older sister who’s a leading stem cell biologist!”
“My sister inspires me because of the self-made woman she is today, with her sheer determination, despite all the difficulties and hardship we had growing up. Though it might have been scary for her to venture out to study something that was not popular in Singapore at that time, she overcame it by doing her research, sticking to a plan, working hard and having faith.”
“Arundhati Roy's fierce but sensitive writing is also what inspires me. There is a paragraph she wrote decades ago that I now use as a mantra to life. It reminds me that I am not weak to be sensitive or not strong just because I care. In other words, to follow my heart and let my values guide me.”
"To love. To be loved. To never forget your own insignificance. To never get used to the unspeakable violence and the vulgar disparity of life around you. To seek joy in the saddest places. To pursue beauty to its lair. To never simplify what is complicated or complicate what is simple. To respect strength, never power. Above all, to watch. To try and understand. To never look away. And never, never to forget.”
Michelle's bed is dressed in SOJAO's Classic Navy Bundle Set.
