As you approach and study the various works of Furutani
Michio, there is absolutely no denying his mastery of clay as well as that of fire. His intuitive
ability firing the anagama is legendary and he wrote a book explaining the
process for the whole world to share in his love of the controlled dragon. It
appears that the collision of potter, clay and fire was Furutani's destiny and
his story is woven into each and every one of his pots.
Illustrated is a detail of an Iga lid from the mizusashi
I posted last Monday (9/24/2012). There is a phenomenal pool of wet, luxurious
green glassy ash that encircles the lid knob, as though it was perfectly
planned. By studying the lid, you can see what direction the pot was facing during
the firing and the protruding knob, acted as a sail, catching the fly ash,
where it would drip into the lowest spot of the lid, creating this vivid pool.
Serendipity? To a certain degree it was, but knowing the pots and firing
methods of the potter, it is far safer to say, it was part of his bigger plan
for the pots in the fire.
"Destiny is no matter of chance. It is a matter of
choice; it is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be
achieved." William Jennings Bryan
(1860-1925)
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