ABOUT

 

Asuka Mew 高田 飛鳥 and Anna Miller-Yeaman established Wingnut & Co. in 2013 and are designers and makers of tableware, vases, planters and lighting. 

Asuka is the primary craftsperson and the wheel based potter for Wingnut & Co. Asuka was raised in Northern Kyushu, Japan and is influenced by historical pottery studios in this area. Asuka & Anna relocated to Trentham in 2020, Victoria about an hour north of Melbourne. In 2025 they built a new workshop in Trentham, which is nearing completion. Their workshop is off-grid and powered by a solar and battery system, with tank water for production. 

All ceramic pieces in their online shop are made by Asuka. Glaze testing and production is an important part of Asuka's practice and he formulates all of the glaze recipes for their designs. Asuka and Anna blend & recycle commercially available Australian Clay. They also source and process hand-dug clay from areas in Country Victoria. All timber used in their designs is milled by Asuka from fallen local eucalyptus (Messmate, Peppermint) and acacia (Blackwood) trees. Any timber waste is used to heat their space and the ash is used in glaze recipes. 

The majority of Asuka's pieces are first bisque fired in their kiln to 1000° and then glaze fired to 1280°  in an oxidised atmosphere. Asuka also does a handful of reduction firings throughout the year.

Asuka supplies award winning restaurant Minamishima with tableware, working in collaboration with their chefs to create complimentary pieces for their seasonal menu. Wingnut & Co. pieces are available on their online shop and at Mr Kitly, Market Lane Coffee, Phillip & Lea and The Goodhood Store London.

All materials used to ship orders are either recycled/recyclable/compostable and no plastics (including no plastic tapes) are used. 

Asuka & Anna have curated a collection of Japanese products that are complimentary to their designs. This selection includes handcrafted wares, organic tea, sake, incense and essential oil. This collection focuses on Kyushu makers that Asuka & Anna have visited often over the past decade but also includes craftspeople, designers and producers in other parts of Japan from renowned areas for speciality crafts and goods.