NOT A CLOUD IN SIGHT

A very good friend, who I share a passion for pottery and Tsukigata Nahiko with, got my wife and I a very nice Xmas gift. We have been aware of the gift for over a week and it finally arrived today. Illustrated is a large wood carved panel by Tsukigata Nahiko which loosely translated says; "no clouds for many miles" (banri mu-un). I have seen these panels in a number of books and catalogues over the years, but owning one was not necessarily something that I thought would happen. It is quite large at just over 90cm long, 40 cm wide and about 5cm thick. It is deeply relief carved which includes a finely rendered facsimile of one of his seals adjacent to the last kanji. It is a masterful and powerful work in person with the characters seemingly in perpetual motion across the panel. Once again, I am reminded, it is great to have friends and it is the friendship that continues to be more valuable than "the stuff".

"Friendship is one mind in two bodies."  Mencius (372-289 BCE)