K-O TPOT

I was throwing a series of stoneware shallow bowls off the hump a short while back and had made eight to get six and had just enough clay left over to throw a spout, a lid and a body for a rather small teapot. I hadn’t made a teapot in a while and this one was about as basic as they come, simple form, simple add ons and a corrugated handle to give it a bit of pep. Once bisque, this was glazed in the Kuro-Oribe surface which ran down the form creating a rather nice effect overall. Though it is a bit difficult to see all of what is really going on, this detail shot looking down on the top of the teapot gives a better insight into exactly what happens when you end up using four different glazes in total. As I mentioned, this is a small, simple teapot and had I given it more thought, I probably should have made a couple of cups to go along with the pot, well there is always time. 

 

BUDWEISER

When I first saw this covered box form, I have to admit, my mind went to that "base-place" where I immediately thought of the old Budweiser commercials. I just couldn’t help it, I am a product of too much TV, particular music and popular food. This wonderfully animated covered chameleon box was made by Bruce Cochrane and Zsuzsa Monostory; Bruce threw and built the covered box form and Zsuzsa hand-sculpted the pair of articulated and expressive chameleon to go atop the piece. The surface seems (?) to be composed of two sprayed on glazes creating a vivid and inviting texture with a Shino glaze interior liner and then was wood fired, somewhat gently to not over burden the surface with ash and obscure the details. This covered box is a wonderful and whimsical collaboration between to individuals steeped in clay, one more architectural in orientation and the other focused on three-dimensional animation and bringing the beating heart of her subjects to life, together the combo culminates in near perfection.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZ4NAgPG61I

COMPATIBLE

Classic lines, simple form, serene glaze and elegant lid surely are an apt description for the Kyoto style mizusashi by Kimura Morinobu. Throw out of stoneware clay, the form was carefully faceted to create this functional piece which was glazed in an ash based, seiji style glaze that compliments the intent, purpose and design of the mizusashi. As you can see, the edges of the facets on the body and around the mouth were likely slightly rubbed leaving just enough glaze to wet and seal the pot while creating a rich definition to the form and breaking up the monochrome surface.         

All these details show the careful consideration and attention that Kimura Morinobu lavished on his piece despite their casual and quick production. Perhaps one of the crowning details to this striking mizusashi is the lid, custom made to match the faceted form and fit the thrown round mouth. Though custom and a welcome addition in and of itself, the real appeal lid wise is that it was made by Juyo Mukei Bunkaizai (Living National Treasure), Nakagawa Kiyotsugu (b. 1942) of Kyoto. Though I am unsure of their relationship, they both reside in Kyoto and would obviously be aware of each other, making for a perfect shokuhin to approach for those special pieces and their needs. In a sign of great respect, Kimura Morinobu has noted on the box that the lacquer lid was made, hand crafted by Nakagawa Kiyotsugu and was written on the left side, parallel to his own signature.   

I think it is safe to say, making a simple form, with good lines, a perfect blend of aesthetics and utility and pieces/ parts that are exceptionally compatible may seem like an everyday and straightforward exercise but as I am constantly reminded, is there anything more complex than simplicity? 

 

REVERSED

Here is another khaotique teabowl fired as the same time as the last one I posted. In this case, I put the black slip on first and then added the trailed and finger-painted fingerprints in white slip to create the reverse for a different look. Again, this bowl was squared up and is a bit taller than it is wide making for a handful of clay and glaze. Not much else I can say, just wanted to show off the opposite of the past golden amber piece, not sure which I like better yet though I am leaning toward the surface with the white slip added first, greater contrast to my eye.

T-POT REVISITED

For whatever it is worth, no I am not losing my marbles, I am aware that I posted this teapot in a post way back in 2012. To be fair, the previous post showed a rather washed-out version of what this rich, porcelain lobed teapot actually looks like and this ‘revisited” photo does a much better job. This teapot was thrown and constructed by Bruce Cochrane, a potter whom I always think of as focused and well considered, his pots have just exactly what they need and no more, not exactly less is more but just what the concept into reality calls for. My wife and I have owned this pot for a very long time and if memory serves me correctly it was our very first piece by Cochrane followed less than a week later by a large terra cotta covered oval dish form. I thought this needed a slightly better photo to represent the piece and, in all likelihood, when I get a better camera or develop better photographic skills, I may try my hand again at capturing exactly what it is that makes this so special though I guess it isn’t that hard to figure out.

SIROCCO

Today started out like any other day and then by late afternoon after finishing glazing and loading the small kiln, it seemed like chaos blew in like some ill-humored sirocco of old. As such, I will be brief, no hyperbole, no waxing poetic, here is a simple photo, enjoy or don’t, this is the best my scrambled mind can handle at the moment. Tetsu-yu nanten-mon tsubo by Karaki Hisao.

GBA²

It is funny how things sometimes work in cycles; this particular decoration started back in the 90s and every now and again it pops up to come full circle. In this case a thrown stoneware bowl was coerced square and then white slipped, gently combed before having black slip spontaneously trailed across the planes. Once the semi-vertical lines were created, the spots were added via finger painting the slip to add some punctuation to the lines. All in all, there is nothing revolutionary here, just a simple assembly of several ideas all under my GB amber glaze meant to imitate the old Cushing Albany amber as best as possible minus the Albany slip and the Cushing recipe. Last but not least since every technique needs a name, this was originally referred to as khaotique by a Belgian student at CSU and for lack of something better, it just stuck.

PROTAGONIST

Though the kinuta form originated sometime in the Song Dynasty (1127-1279), the form likely goes back quite a way from there having originally being made of wood and used as a type of “hammer” during the neolithic age. That being said, once the jump to clay, the wide array of interpretations of this form has been rather varied and during the 20^th century in Japan, kinuta-hanaire become not only popular but wildly diverse. Illustrated is a rather classic, even textbook kinuta form by Furutani Michi who has left quite a number of examples for our appreciation and study and though not any real achievement, I think I have seen well over quite a few pieces in person and certainly several dozen more in illustrations.   

This mallet vase is a wonderful, very well fired Iga piece with a number of effects creating a rich landscape which is currently highlighted by the mid-day’s sunshine bringing out the color variations, the crackling, the ash build-up and the texture created by being in just the right spot during the firing. Though not particularly large, many of this form, this one included, presents itself as a rather imposing, stoic form, which has fought against the ferocity of its firing process and emerged the victor, the protagonist which has defied the odds with its defiant posture and unique and expressive presentation. Though I will readily admit a bias, I think many of Furutani Michio Shigaraki and Iga pieces are truly outstanding but this Iga kinuta is clearly timeless with a rather medieval visage something the potter excelled at imbuing his pieces with history, tradition and a sense of self, there is little more that you could ask for.

SIDE NOTE

Though I have written and posted about Okano Hosei previously, I have to say, this oburi Shigaraki chawan just captured my attention when I first saw it. Large and in charge probably describe the attitude of this bowl which was well fired, upside down to boot where gravity defying effects are painted across the surface creating a rather captivating landscape. The form itself is simple but from a non-chanoyu person’s perspective and thinking of it as a vessel, it is nearly perfect; full, round, the perfect silhouette where volume, posture and attitude reign supreme*. The interior, the mikomi and at the other end, the kodai are both very well attended completing this simple package or rather aiding in tying it all together. There are a number of details when all assembled, create a captivating chawan, perhaps (?) the best one I have seen by Okano, excepting one, illustrated in an exhibition catalogue.   

On a side note, at some point after the purchase of this chawan, the new owner(s) wrote to Okano-san and asked about the bowl and its “unexplained” details to which he replied with a lengthy letter complete with several drawn illustrations of how the bowl was fired upside down and where it was placed in the kiln. This letter accompanied the chawan to the “New World” and with any luck will continue on through time as a testament of a wonderful bowl and a connection between potter and customer, possibly friend that I suspect has been echoed throughout history. 

(* Yes, that was an IRON CHEF reference.)

THE DEVIL IS IN THE DETAILS

I recently had a prolonged conversation about what makes a good pot and though I am neither expert or terrifically insightful, judging a pot may start with the whole but may end with the details. In as much, I think in judging a potter, like Tsukigata (or any other potter) there are a variety of factors that push a piece into the upper 5% of their work, the “good stuff”*, then you judge those pieces on acknowledged masterworks and go from there. I realize I don't have a monopoly on pottery knowledge and aesthetics but I have read quite a bit, seen and handled a lot of pots as well as having attended conferences and lectures by people much smarter than me. I try to use objective aesthetic theory and principles in judging a pot and determining what is a "good" Tsukigata and what is worth just moving on from trying to avoid relying on pure emotions. Pots aren't coins where you can judge them on standardized criteria, pottery, most art is all about the nuances and subtleties. I think I have come to the conclusion that something good may have an infinitesimal difference from something that is not, it is all about how the details are all stacked up, that is why I am so detail oriented and post about this on my blog and elsewhere. The devil truly is in the details.

 (*Though not intended as a B-52s reference, it worked out quite nicely none the same.)