Staying True While Staying Curious

Lately I’ve been reflecting on what it really means to stay true to your own style while still following curiosity. How do you keep exploring without losing the aesthetics that defines your work? For me, the best way to think about it is through an example. My Whistler mugs have been with me since around 2010 or 2011 — minimalist, speckled creations originally inspired by my early hiking trips through British Columbia. The dark mountains, blue ocean, and snow-speckled peaks with their black bases left a deep impression on me. Their quiet, organic, and imperfect beauty became the soul of that first Whistler mug, which I’ve been making ever since.

Over the years, as my throwing skills evolved, the mugs became more refined — more contemporary in form — yet they’ve remained timeless in spirit. The Whistler collection has always felt like the perfect canvas for my creativity. Recently, I found myself wondering: what if I added a small Canadian maple leaf to the design? How could I do that without making it feel loud or touristy — without stepping outside my own lines? To guide myself, I returned to the internal principles that define my work: timelessness, minimalism, a touch of playfulness, and quiet harmony. My pieces should always feel contemplative and meaningful, never shouting for attention.

In the end, I chose to add just one small leaf — subtle, elegant, and perfectly at home on the mug. The process of finding the right template, planning, and executing the design took time, but now when I hold the finished piece, I feel a deep warmth of satisfaction. It feels right in my body — grounded and alive. That feeling is what tells me I’m still aligned, still present, still allowing myself to play and evolve without losing my truth.