Yoko Sekino-Bové
Pennsylvania

Mid-range porcelain, oxidation firing cone 5
Functional
Teapot: 7"w x 5.25"d x 4"h
Each cup: 2.25"d x 1.75"h

About the Teapot
The traditional Japanese blue wave pattern symbolizes harmony, continuity, and unity, expressed through the repetition of a single design unit. When this stable pattern is disrupted and becomes more random – as in this “floating” design – it begins to represent unpredictability, uncertainty, and chaos.

About the Artist
Yoko Sekino-Bové, born in Osaka, Japan, earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design from Musashino Art University in Tokyo. Aftr working as a commercial designer in both Japan and the U.S., she shifted her focus to ceramic art, earning a Master of Fine Arts in Ceramics from the University of Oklahoma.
Now based in Washington, Pennsylvania, Yoko works from her home studio and teaches ceramics at local colleges and art centers. Her porcelain works have been exhibited intrnationally, including Canada, South Korea, Japan, Latvia, Turkey, Portugal, and the Dominican Republic. Notable exhibitions include the NCECA Invitational and the Icheon World Ceramic Biennale. Yoko’s recent solo shows were held at the Pittsburgh Center for Arts and Media, The Clay Studio in Philadelphia, and Baltimore Clayworks.
She has been recognized as one of the “Emerging Artists 2011” by Ceramic Arts Daily and has completed residencies at the John Michael Kohler Arts Center and the Archie Bray Foundation. Her work appears in several craft books, including 500 Cups, 500 Teapots Volume 2, and Humor in Craft, and her technical articles have been published in Ceramics Monthly and The Pottery Making Illustrated. Yoko is currently an Assistant Teaching Professor of Ceramics at Carnegie Mellon University.

Artist Statement
In response to today’s uncertain world, I aim to convey both a sense of challenge and a quiet sense of hope – the possibility that something beautiful can still emerge when these shared feelings are acknowledged and held together.

*Teapots that are purchased will remain on display in the gallery for the duration of the exhibition, through September 14, 2026.
After the show closes, teapots will be carefully packed and shipped by September 28, or they may be picked up at the gallery.

National Teapot Show XIII

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Yoko Sekino-Bové - Floating Blue Waves Teapot