USAGI-ZU

Does anyone remember the cinematic masterpiece; NIGHT OF THE LEPUS, an invasion of giant rabbits? Really how terrifying are rabbits and what’s next, giant ants? Segway to the year of the rabbit, 2011, early on while studying art history and world ceramics, I realized how pervasive they were as design elements in art and ceramics specifically. From east to west, from Mimbres and Delftware to Arita and Kakeimon, the rabbit has found his place in the pottery world.

When I started making pots, I had been studying art history for well over a decade and infuse the mythical lunar hare together with the central character of Usagi Yojimbo and it was only natural for me to use the rabbit as a decorative element. My use of the rabbit first found its way onto my early slipware and majolica, followed by brushed Karatsu influenced designs and finally carved into slip. The rabbit form is easily adaptable to a myriad of forms articulated as lean and long or full and rounded. Currently I make a variety of carved terra cotta pieces with various rabbit forms to decorate my work from plate and bowl to covered jars and teapots.

Illustrated is a 14” terra cotta bowl where I carved through a black slip to expose the rich red clay. Inspired by the three musketeers the roam our property and very craftily elude the nesting redtail hawks and fox that constantly prowl from the tree line. The year of the rabbit (2011), may just be a good year to make more rabbit decorated pots……………….