Noe Kuremoto

Ceramicist

Art where there is no safety net

Noe creates playful sculptural work by hand with great technical precision
Japanese tradition is at the core of her practice
She hesitated before embracing life as a ceramicist

Noe Kuremoto, born in Osaka, graduated in Fine Art with First Class Honours from Central Saint Martins College of Art. When she arrived in London in the late 1990s, there was a bursting energy in the art world in London. Noe left her traditional training in art in Japan, and never studied ceramics formally. "Following the path society laid out for me – career, security, reputation – left me feeling empty," she explains. One day she decided to follow her creative dream and live as an artist. In her studio in London, Noe creates ceramics deeply influenced by Japanese folk tales and ancient figurines, which have long served as symbols of resilience, strength, and protection. Dogu and other mythical figures inspire her to embrace the path that feels truest to her. "My Dogu Ladies honour the modern woman’s journey—her ability to create something wholly new, with no roadmap," says Noe. She mostly hand-builds, using techniques such as coiling and slab-building.

Interview

Did you learn your craft from a master?: Growing up, I was lucky enough to be surrounded by incredible artists. My father, a sculptor and painter, was also a fine art professor, so I spent much time at his university, meeting remarkable artists, ceramicists, sculptors, and printmakers. But I never went through the traditional Japanese ceramic apprenticeship.
Why did you choose this path?: For years, I was afraid to embrace life as an artist, afraid of speaking my truth and giving up the stability of a steady paycheck. I kept my real calling locked away, hidden behind the practicalities of life—mortgage, family, respectability. But as the years passed, I could barely hear my own voice anymore. One day, I realised that staying in a 'safe' job was the real risk.
What do you love most about your craft?: Making art that is authentic to me and sharing that journey with others has made my life richer in ways that money could not. I wish I had known sooner that the 'good life' prescribed by society is not for everyone. I hope my work inspires others to define their own 'good life' and gives them the strength to pursue it.
What was a memorable moment in your professional life?: The moment I became a mother. It marked the beginning of my Dogu Lady collection. The Dogu figurines, with their large eyes and exaggerated curves, symbolise fertility, protection, and hope—a promise of safe delivery for mother and child, and continuity of life. For me, they represent the strength and grace we bring to motherhood on our own terms.

Noe Kuremoto is an expert artisan: she began her career in 2005 and she started teaching in 2018