The Story behind the Wheel
From the heights of the art world to the ground beneath our feet.
For nearly three decades, my life was defined by art in its most elevated, protected forms. I managed complex, world-renowned glass installations at Chihuly Studio. I directed contemporary galleries in Tokyo and Seattle, curating hundreds of fine art exhibitions. I helped public art catalysts like MadArt in its early years, focusing on monumental, site-specific installations.
It was a world of high concepts, pristine gallery lighting, and abstract discussions about human expression.
But art, in its truest sense for me, isn't meant to live behind a velvet rope. It is meant to be held.
In 2020, I walked away from the pristine gallery walls to build a studio near the banks of Big Soos Creek in Kent, Washington. I didn't want to just talk about art anymore—I wanted to return to it as a natural, tactile human activity. I wanted to get my hands in the mud.
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"Through clay, we quiet the digital noise, align our posture, and remember what it feels like to create something real with our own two hands."
Growing up with a Japanese upbringing, I learned early on to respect the quiet utility of everyday objects—the simple joy of a vessel that feels intentional in your hands. At Soos Creek Studio, I merge that cultural mindfulness with the raw, down-to-earth nature of the Pacific Northwest.Our studio doesn’t design for showrooms. We design for daily life. We throw functional earthenware—bento boxes with natural moisture seals, rustic lidded jars, and traditional clay cooking pots inspired by the rich, diverse cultural communities that make up South King County.
Blending Heritage & The Birth of Clay-Go
Moving the Studio: The Birth of Clay-Go
When I looked at our modern community, I noticed how much digital exhaustion had pulled people away from their physical senses. I saw schools underfunding tactical arts and corporate teams starving for genuine, collaborative connection. So, we put the studio on wheels.Through Clay-Go, we pack up our pottery wheels, raw clay, and traditional tools, dropping them right into the center of K-8 classrooms, local community centers, and corporate workspaces. We don’t ask people to understand art history; we simply ask them to sit down, match their rhythm to the malleable nature of clay, and let the chaos of the day fade away.
Whether we are teaching a child to handbuild a bowl out of a slab of clay or watching a corporate team drop their armor the moment their hands touch the wet medium, the mission remains exactly the same: reclaiming our creative resilience, one shared vessel at a time.
— Bryan & Junsen Ohno, Co-Founders
— Bryan & Junsen Ohno, Co-Founders
Leadership Team, co-founders, board members and partners
