A NEW SPARK

A while back, I posted a stellar  tsubo by Tokoname legend, Osaka Mikio and then a bit later amother post of the same pot, with a photo from a book showcasing the potter. Now comes another pot, made at the very same time as the tsubo, 1982, though made in an entirely different method. Illustrated is a large Tokoname platter by Osako that has an evocative ash glaze poured onto the surface which is further enhanced by the wood firing process. The surface palette runs from a milky emerald color to a rich bidoro style deep green around crevices helping frame the plate in glassy accents. What is so unusual about this piece is that the potter, first threw a thick disk of clay, let it firm up a bit and then literally "carved" the plate out of the disk, certainly a new spark for a long standing tradition. The marks left by cutting away the rough clay, narrates the adventure of the pot and makes for wonderful variations in the surfaces where glaze and ash were allowed to build up. This plate shows why Osako Mikio was so highly regarded for adding something new to Tokoname ware that dates back many centuries.

(Used with the permission of a private collector)