When Cyndi Cai took her first ceramics class, she couldn’t centre clay on the wheel. Frustration turned into curiosity, her skill level grew, and soon, ceramics became a way to explore creativity outside her work as a designer.
Cai shares her pieces with others through Puchi Ceramics, named after the Japanese word puchi, meaning “small and cute.” Each piece is hand-built, painted with bright colours and inspired by everyday moments.
Her first collection, titled It’s Okay, grew from both the trial-and-error nature of clay and the anxieties of raising her first dog. Later, her I’m Fine collection introduced mugs with words on the bottom, reflecting the gap between how we may appear and how we feel. She also finds inspiration in animals, which is showcased through mugs with puppy and cat tail handles and incense holders shaped like her cat curled up on the sofa.
“I really hope that people, when they are buying my stuff, they are not just buying a mug, a plate or a bowl, they are actually buying an emotional state that would actually make them happy,” Cai says.
Available online at littlepuchi.com
