For Regina Bautista, an illustrator and potter based in Singapore, the journey to founding Ocio Ceramics began not with a grand plan, but with a pandemic-era awakening and a serendipitous crossword clue. A graduate in English Literature who had worn many hats, from designer to illustrator, she rediscovered a high school hobby that has since become a ‘steadily snowballing obsession’. Today, Ocio Ceramics is a vibrant reflection of her passions, a medium where her whimsical illustrations and deeply personal narratives find a home in the tactile, forgiving nature of clay.
Regina’s first encounter with pottery was in Manila with acclaimed artists Jon and Tessie Pettyjohn. ‘It was just something I did with friends,’ she recalls, a casual Saturday pastime. After moving to Singapore in 2010, the expense and inaccessibility of the craft put her hobby on hold. It took the global pause of 2020 to change her perspective. ‘The pandemic was like a wake-up call,’ she says. ‘I asked myself, what am I saving all this money for? I want to do this. So I jumped right in.’
The name ‘Ocio’ has a story that perfectly encapsulates her journey. It started from a moment of self-doubt. ‘My husband was doing a crossword, and the clue was “serving no practical purpose,” and I was like, oh my god, that's me!’ The answer was ‘otiose’. This led her down a linguistic rabbit hole to the Spanish word ‘ocio’, which holds a positive meaning: ‘free time for your own personal growth and slow living’. She loved the word’s philosophy and its pleasing visual shape. ‘That, and the geekery of discovering the meaning through a crossword clue that actually began from a very self-deprecating point.’
Before clay became her primary focus, illustration was her main outlet. As an introvert who sometimes stumbles over her words, art has always been her ‘ambassador’. Her comics often tackle personal feelings or social commentary, like a piece she created about the Anti-Terror Bill in the Philippines. ‘It's usually when I have something to get off my chest and I'm processing it,’ she explains. ‘It helps me connect with people, too.’
This narrative impulse found a natural home in her pottery. In a collaboration with florist Friday's Garden, she created a collection of vases that tell a story as you turn them, much like ancient Grecian vessels. The theme was one that runs through all her work: self-acceptance. ‘It was about this desire to see good in myself and my many multitudes,’ she shares. This is powerfully embodied in a piece she titled ‘My Trophy of Self-Acceptance’, an unsold vase adorned with lucky charms—a ladybug, a four-leaf clover, a rabbit’s foot (with rabbit attached, for fairness). ‘Self-acceptance is an ongoing thing, an ongoing project,’ she muses. ‘I resolve always to see the good.’
Of course, the path of a potter is not without its trials. Regina speaks candidly about ‘kiln disasters’ and the ‘wrath of the kiln gods’. ‘It's chemistry. You've got clay going through a chemical reaction at 1,200 degrees,’ she says. The anxiety of the firing process, where weeks of work can be ruined in hours, is very real. ‘It’s like Schrödinger’s disaster. You don't know until you open it up.’ This high-stakes reality has taught her not only detachment but also the importance of clear communication, especially when working on commissions. Contracts, she notes, aren’t scary; they’re essential tools for managing expectations when so much is left to chance.
Despite these challenges, Regina has found the Singaporean creative scene to be incredibly supportive. Her many collaborations, from Teh Tarik Nights to Aaah House, have grown from organic connections with people whose work she admires. ‘I believe there are enough seats at the table for all,’ she says. ‘It doesn't have to be me versus you. I could learn so much from you, and you can learn so much from me.’
Her inspiration comes from slice-of-life comics, the work of artists like Lucy Knisley and Weng Pixin, and the simple beauty of her surroundings, like the resilient banana trees in her neighbourhood. Inspired by artists who host art jams in their homes, Regina is now keen to pay it forward, having already organised a ‘Yart Sale’ in her neighbourhood to create a space for local artists to connect.
Ultimately, Ocio Ceramics is more than a business; it is an affirmation. ‘There's something very empowering about stepping into what you see as your strength,’ Regina reflects. ‘It's a privilege that I don't take lightly, and more than anything, that's what's helped me immensely in terms of self-esteem.’ It’s a journey she wishes she had started sooner, a humbling and fulfilling path of making art and finding her people.
—
Want to learn more about Regina’s creative process and her philosophy of self-acceptance? Read the full interview in EPHEMERA, the 6th volume of INTERLUNAR's zine.
