A ceramic workshop in Yixing, Jiangsu province. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Q: How many times did you go to Yixing? How did you find the city?

A: I traveled to Yixing six times through the project. This is a big commitment for a small studio like ours but we realize the importance of showing our face and engaging directly with our partners.

Yixing is considered a "town" in China and even with a population of 1.3 million people, everything is in a state of flux, change is everywhere and the development is impressive. Nothing could have prepared me for the sheer scale of the ceramics industry in Yixing - there are literally thousands of people involved in the manufacture of these beautiful pieces.