My name is Véronique Sunatori, I am a multidisciplinary visual artist, maker and fabricator, living and working in Tkaronto, Canada. In my work as an artist, I create sculptures, installations and multimedia artworks that have been presented in institutions across Canada, Japan and the US. After studying Visual Art at CEGEP, Bachelors and Masters levels, I have worked in the creative art field my whole life.

I come from Gatineau (QC) by a Québécois mother and Japanese-born father. My parents have always been very logic and science-driven; they have backgrounds in mathematics and engineering. Growing up, my father was an inventor by profession. He was always devising new designs for things like spice racks, magnetic pens, and bird feeders, for example. He would collect old bottle caps or containers to assemble in order to fashion prototypes for his ideas that he would go on to patent. He holds that spirit to this day, and that resourceful mindset runs through me today.

I’d like to think that I got my skills from my Obaachan, who was a talented maker herself. She would create beautiful Turushibina hanging textile dolls by the hundreds. She taught me origami and showed me how she sewed and crafted her work. I have great respect for her and handicraft as a whole, and consider my work an ode to traditional craft practices.

The Japanese term 勿体無い (mottainai) is an expression used to convey regret, guilt, or sorrow for something not reaching its full potential. And, it often implies a desire to make the most out of its future. This sentiment is core to my practice as a maker in our climate crisis.

My studio space is built from reused materials: from glass blocks, originating from a demolished barn, becoming an artwork—then finding its place embedded as a window in my wall; to the pottery wheel that belonged to a now-cancelled university program and is now a key instrument in my work space; from the plywood sheets that line the walls of my workshop, to the sink components  I built from a salvaged tabletop and metal bowl.

This commitment to reuse doesn’t stop at the studio itself—it’s deeply embedded in the work I produce and the objects I bring new life to. The repurposing of objects and materials is something I take pride in and continue to apply in my everyday life. The wares I make often incorporate objects that have inspired their creation or complete their purpose: salvaged lamp bases are supplemented  with custom ceramics, or handmade paper lampshades to make them new again. I’ve refurbished old couches and reupholstered the cushion with custom block printed fabric. I’ve harvested fabric from damaged or unwanted clothing to create new wearable designs

Beyond furniture and fashion, I also address sustainability in the more practical aspects of my practice. In these post-covid times, the amount of shipped goods creates a ton of packaging waste. This has led me to collect from it the viable packing peanuts, bubble wrap and cardboard boxes to make use as packaging for the pieces I make and sell for Mottainai.

My creative approach is enriched by a diverse set of skills that allow me to bring this ethos to life in various forms. My wide range of interests and skills allow me to explore a lot in what I do. My primary practice is ceramics, I love to work with clay and see what I can make with it. I have dyed fabric using natural dyes like indigo, marigold and safflower and learned Shibori tying and masking techniques. I like to sew, knit, and crochet things like clothing, accessories and tapestries.

Because my work spans so many forms and materials, the process itself becomes my central focus. The breadth of my work is vast and for this, I prioritize the creative process over establishing a production line. In this way, I prefer to create unique one-off pieces or small editions of multiples. The one-of-a-kind pieces from Mottainai are made with love, care and thoughtful consideration.