6th-century Chinese philosopher Laozi, in his book Tao Te Ching, once said, “The potter shapes clay into vessels; on the wheel of life, we too are formed, bearing both beauty and purpose.” For Margaret Yap and Steven The – founders of Made by Margaret Yap Pottery-Ceramic Art Studio – like humans, pottery should be valued not only for its appearance but also for its purpose.
Nothing mirrors the human journey better than clay: raw earth, transformed into vessels that bear beauty, hold stories, and carry purpose. Just as clay is moulded into a given shape, each twist, swirl, and glaze imprints a tale, making every creation unique shaped by the hands that touched it. In the hands of Margaret and Steven, this essence is very much evident in their pottery works.
Margaret’s path to pottery was a tug-of-war between her passion for fine arts and familial expectations, i.e. the hope of landing a ‘respectable’ career, by society standards. Luckily for Margaret, passion prevailed. After finishing her degree in interior design from LASALLE College of the Arts in Singapore, Margaret returned to Indonesia still bearing great love and determination to become an artist.
Her ceramic journey began in 2017– at a time when pottery was far from the ‘viral’ art form it is today. “I started with a small class in Bandung, bought a wheel and slowly invested in materials,” Margaret recalls. She credited much of her skills to Mas Adhy, a renowned potter in Bandung with whom she had become an apprentice for about three years until he encouraged her to see pottery not as a pastime but as a career.
And what career it has become. Today, Margaret’s work is instantly recognisable, thanks to her signature ‘bakmi swirls’- whimsical, noodle-like details that adorn her mugs, candle holders and more. Each piece she created carried stories. Inspired by her Chinese-Indonesian heritage and a childhood spent savouring bowls of ‘bakmi’, these playful accents are also an extension of Margaret herself, her story and identity present in her art.
Margaret’s journey from being an interior designer to a potter is also evident in her works, as a designer she was taught to ‘solve problems’ with her creation, so Margaret approached pottery with the philosophy that art can captivate whilst also having a practical purpose. Take for instance her “bakmi mug”, where the swirling ‘noodles’ above the rim and handle are an aesthetic touch, but they also double as effective straw holders. A useful addition. Margaret believes that art, when designed with function in mind, transcends the decorative and becomes integral to daily life, embodying both beauty and purpose in its use. Each piece, whether a lamp or a chopstick stand, is a reflection of this philosophy.
Meanwhile, her partner in both business and life, Steven The’s creations pay homage to precision. Before finding his way to pottery, Steven was a chef– an F&B professional trained in Australia, where he learned to treat food as both art and science. This same meticulous approach can be seen in his pottery, from the carefully carved geometric patterns of his Kumiko Double-Walled Vase to the rugged elegance of his Andes Planter, finished in a rich Ketan Hitam glaze.
Working with kilns reminds Steven of the kitchen, “It’s all about controlling temperatures, processes and timing,” he muses. His pieces are sleek, architectural and subtly textured, a fitting counterpart to Margaret’s vibrant works. And while their individual styles are diverse– Margaret’s leaning toward the expressive and sculptural, Steven’s precise and utilitarian– their collaboration compliments each other. One starts at the wheel, the other finishes; balance of opposing forces that doesn’t take out the individuality of each other.
Perhaps, another fascinating aspect from Margaret Yap is her duality of creative output, as reflected by her darker, and more conceptual alter ego, Tè. Inspired by Haitian-Creole culture, the Tè collection is an artistic antithesis to her main line. “Tè is my exploration of history and resilience,” Margaret explains. Where the ‘Margaret Yap’ collections are playful and bright, ‘Tè by Margaret Yap’ pieces are sombre and raw– deep greys and reds replacing the vibrant hues, reflecting the ruins of colonial exploitation. Divided into six “eras” such as Ruins, Romantic, Revolution, Elegy, Pastiche, and Retrouvaille. Each collection tells its own story, transforming destruction into beauty, challenging viewers to find grace in what has been discarded.
Even the name carries weight. “Tè means ‘soil’ in Haitian-Creole,” Margaret says. “It’s about going back to the earth, to the raw and the real.” The result is pottery that feels almost archaeological—artefacts unearthed from buried pasts, carrying its own story with each piece. It evokes her philosophy and approach to clay, as a medium not only to create art but also to bear the stories and expressions of its creators, all while serving a purpose for its keepers.
Follow them at @madeby.my and @tebymy
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