BLUE MONDAY XIV

I would think that this vase is probably not something one sees every day. A bit formal and precise in the throwing, this double walled and reticulated vessel is a nice early work by the late Kato Takuo. Resembling a medieval tiled wall, this Persian glazed vase was hand engraved and pierced to create a statement about the possibilities and influences of such pottery. The addition of gold leaf applied under the glaze speaks to an earlier age of opulence from which the archetypes of this pot spring from. Though an earlier work by Kato, the pot certainly shows the exceptional control and manipulation of clay, glaze and firing that he is well known. In this piece, one can clearly see the promise of more to come together with a more relaxed and spirited aesthetic that he was working toward, day after day and year after year.

THROWN, PINCHED & CUT

Illustrated is large yunomi teacup that I made a while back. Taking a few cues from a famous amber glazed Ohi chawan the piece was first thrown on the thick side and then once it started firming up, I gently push it a slightly off round and pinched the form to get it into the posture I was after. I let it dry a some more and then proceeded to cut fast and very random facets down its sides. I hand tooled the piece first with a sharp piece of bamboo to get the foot I was after and then used a small loop tool to excise some clay in the form of a sharp spiral. Once bisque, I glazed the yunomi in a medium coat of my lepidolite glaze and when fired the sharp lines from the faceted broke to a lighter color creating a nice vertical distraction around the pot. Where the glaze ran the Oribe is a vivid and rich deep green, particularly the cuts around the foot and in the pool of the cup. I am constantly amazed at the versatility and variations within the different Oribe glazes I use and can only wonder, what will the next pot look like blanketed in green.

"Sameness is the mother of disgust, variety the cure." Petrarch (1304-1374)

INAUGURAL

Almost three years ago, I wrote about being a somewhat accidental collector of guinomi. In the accompanying picture there is a group of guinomi, in the center back of the picture is a rather pivotal piece in that it was the first Tsukigata Nahiko piece that I had acquired. I had first become aware of the work of Tsukigata back in the very early 1980's and through the use of inter-library loan, I was able to secure a copy of the book Oni-Shino for an extended stay of four weeks, so my interest in his pottery is hardly a passing fancy, in fact, his work is among the most electrifying and interesting I have encountered. Flash forward nearly two decades and thanks to a large internet auction site, I happened to find this large Shigaraki style guinomi by Tsukigata Nahiko. No box nor identification in the auction, just all of the tell tale characteristics of the potter and for less than $20, it was the inaugural Tsukigata addition to the collection that was never intended and just keeps on growing.

Thrown out of Shigaraki clay and woodfired in his anagama the body of the piece was first dipped in an ash glaze which is like a coating of rich bidoro with a wonderful pool of green in the bottom of the guinomi. The foot is flashed with a rich coat of color from where the flames liked the bulky pedestal creating a great, wet contrast to the body. Inside the foot ring is Tsukigata's signature, boldly carved and in all my years of studying his work, I have never seen a similar piece in terms of surface though I am aware he has made Shigaraki pottery along with his best known styles. Having used this guinomi on occasion, I can tell you it is both generous in its contents and satisfying in its function.

PICTURE PERFECT

I recently received a catalogue that had a variety of pots dating prior to 1985 and in it was a rather remarkable vase by Tsukigata Nahiko. Illustrated is a scan from the catalogue showing another very typical form that Tsukigata worked with, but the surface is anything but typical and possibly just shy of being picture perfect. Glazed in a thick coat of Shino glaze, that almost appears curdled, iron is boiling up from underneath and in places combining with the rich natural ash that has deposited on the surface creating exceptional flows of varying hues and textures. The area on the face of the pot that bore the brunt of the velocity within the kiln is caked with a rich shield of ash that is just a touch refractory in appearance and most likely to the touch as well. Whether by inspired planning and experience or a touch of serendipity, the pot is mostly encased in an ethereal coat of ash that makes the pot luminescent. Having seen similar pots in person, I can tell you that if there is any dictionary that does not have this (or a very similar pot) illustrated adjacent to the entry; ONI-SHINO, than it definitely needs an immediate revision!

"It is reasonable to have perfection in our eye that we may always advance toward it, though we know it can never be reached."  Samuel Johnson (1709-1784)

SIDE-EFFECTS

I threw a few stoneware teabowls recently that were faceted while still on the wheel, each then had a hand cut foot to try to compliment the form. Illustrated is one of the finished bowls that was first glazed in my Oribe glaze and then overglazed in the same glaze altered by adding iron and ash to it. The bowls were then fired on wads on their sides, in this case, you are looking at the front of the teabowl which was the top creating interesting side-effects. The base overglaze ran extensively toward the bottom, the opposite side as can be seen from the front and the interior creating a rather nice flow of effects which seem to defy gravity without an explanation added. These side-fired teabowls were a neat experience and obviously the outcome was in question and certainly unpredictable making them all the more interesting and worth making more.

"Experience is a hard teacher because she gives the tests first, the answers afterward." Vernon Sanders Law (b. 1930)

JUN-YAO 1996-2013

My longtime companion and studio assistant passed away today. He has been sick for a few short months now and the inevitability was ever apparent. He was ours and to us, was the greatest cat ever and will be sorely missed as I survey his favorite spots and am reminded of his incessant need for attention as well as tuna and very rare roast beef. He was my cat and the best I can hope is that he would have said; "thanks for everything, I had a wonderful time". He was our truly great cat that enriched our lives while here but I am reminded; "one can not cheat time". Rest in peace.

"Good-night, sweet prince; And flights of angels sing thee to thy rest."

FIRST SALE

A few months back, I was contacted by an old friend from my Cleveland days. He was curious if I would like to show my pottery at a new gallery in Ohio which was being developed by his wife. The idea came about as a retail space next to their framing gallery became available so they decided to expand their current business and create a print and craft gallery. Run by Lori Drugan, the gallery draws from a rich collection of mostly 20th century prints and a core group of ceramics people which includes Tom Radka's raku pottery as well as my own. The gallery is spacious and well thought out with unfettered displays and plenty of breathing room to contemplate the works displayed.

On Friday, I missed a call from Cris Drugan as I was busy trimming pots, he called to let me know the gallery was finally open and the first sales in the new gallery were two of my pots. I was of course very pleased to hear that, especially considering it has been a number of years since I have been represented in that area. For anyone in the general Akron, Ohio area, the gallery is located in Fairlawn, Ohio and is run by Lori (and Cris) Drugan;

Gallery of Framing

131 Ghent Road

Fairlawn, Ohio 44333

(303)835-3046

DO YOU HAVE ONE IN BLUE?

This is not meant to sound like a complaint, far from it, the simple fact that people want to buy stuff you make is wonderful. At issue is that many times, invariably so, when someone asks about your pottery, what you have on hand is rarely exactly what they want and isn't this a great excuse for me to throw some more pots! There are a number of reasons for that; the pot is too big, not big enough, it is too tall, not tall enough, it is too blue or in this case not blue enough. After I posted one of the slipped amber ash teabowls I got a query asking; "do you have one in blue?". This has happened countless times, especially since the advent of the internet and most times I tell them, well no, I don't have one currently, but if you would like to order one, I can most likely get it into the very next firing. This response works about 80% of the time, though for some the immediacy or the need for a immediate gift precludes the order process. Luckily enough, in the last firing there were three amber ash slipped bowls as well as three blue Ao+ pieces. I offered the customer a choice between two of the same style, one was picked and off it went by carrier pick-up from the USPS. I may have said this one too many times, but, all's well that ends well.

IMPORTANCE

In relation to pottery, there are two distinct ways one can understand importance. The first is the most literal, the importance of a pot in relationship or context to the field of pottery; as in an important Ming jar. The other type of importance is the importance or influence a pot may have on an individual or in this case a potter. The best case scenario is when the two intersect at the same place at the same pot. Illustrated is a pot that qualifies for both, being an exceptionally fine example of the style and a monumental influence on me as a potter. I first encountered this Kawai Kanjiro chawan back in 1992 while living in Cleveland. I was immediately struck by the deceptively simple form of the bowl with the ever so undulating lip and broad and earthy foot. The manner in which it was so casually decorated with what seem to be off handed splashes speaks of the innate sensibilities of the potter and his confidence in his decades of "doing".  In every sense of the word, this is an important pot.

This particular image has been a guiding light for my work, first through dozens of photographs of the piece, later multiple jpegs and now even video (mpeg) footage of the pot. Through all of these images, I can study the varying nuances of posture, form, foot, glaze and decoration grasping the essentials of what became second nature to Kawai, who would have been in his 60's when this pot was made. I am sure that Kawai had little thought to the importance of this pot or the influence its shadow would cast, but that does not alter the fact that his works have found their place of importance in history and have influenced more potters, both knowingly and unknowingly, than could be counted.

"Every thought which genius and piety throw into the world alters the world." Ralph Waldo Emerson

(Used with the kind permission of Mr/Mrs Private Collector)

ONI-SHINO TAMADARE

Illustrated is a fine Oni-Shino vase by Tsukigata Nahiko. This form is one Tsukigata used quite frequently with sizes ranging from about 8" up to as much as 16". On this particular piece, there is a wonderful interplay of the iron and the white Shino glaze with a rich and vibrant green ash running down the face of the pot indicating its position in the firing. Tsukigata fired his pottery in an anagama much like his master, Arakawa Toyozo; the main difference being the intensity to which it was fired and the determined encouragement of ash build up that would then melt and run along the surfaces of his pots in tamadare fashion. If you look at this vase, you can see where the bulk of the ash built up on the upper third of the pot and then when the temperature was just right in the kiln, it began to cascade down the surface adding to the varying effects of the iron and Shino. Though I can imagine the pot without the contribution of the ash, it is not only the glazing, but the ferocity of the process that make Tsukigata's work truly unique and stand alone among the wide array of pottery now called (erroneously) Oni-Shino.

"Though old the thought and oft exprest; 'Tis his at last that says it best."  James Russell Lowell (1819-1891)

THICK AS A BRICK

Illustrated is another pot from the last firing, glazed in an amber ash over temmoku combo. I have been working on getting slip thicker and at some places, the slip exceeds 0.25" by quite a bit. This cog inspired bowl was first slipped and then the texture created using an old credit card. If you look at the base of the bowl, you can see where the slip channeled running ash and created an unexpected secondary texture of a thick, rippled glaze roll. I am continuing to work on this technique, getting the slip thicker and thicker but in the back of my mind I know at some point, it will all go too far. Ultimately the slip will flake off in the bisque or shiver off after the glaze, I am just compelled to find out what that point is. I wonder if it is the technique or the potter that is thick as a brick?

FOOTSTEPS

At first glance, this Iga chawan has the classically medieval  style of the late Furutani Michio, but upon closer examination, there are subtle differences. The form a bit different, a bit tighter in  the way the pot is thrown and the kodai is created, telling his own story. This chawan was made by Furutani Kazuya, son of Furutani Michio and quite the apt pupil. Relying on forms forged by his father and exceptional firing skills, this teabowl follows in the footsteps of his father's body of work, but it is quite clear, Kazuya has his own voice and chapter to write within the traditions of both Iga and Shigaraki pottery. In this case the idiom, "the apple doesn't fall far from the tree" has rarely been more apropos.

BLUE MONDAY XIII

Salt fired in the last chamber of his nobori-gama this rice-bowl inspired chawan is a lovely example of the work of Shimaoka Tatsuzo (1919-2007). Taking a number of cues from his master, Hamada Shoji, this simple, yet elegant salt fired bowl has his patented Jomon-zogan technique using rich cobalt contrasted against the pale green salted surface. The generous form and crisp cut foot are complimented by the band of cobalt which seems to hold the pot together like a taut belt while the angle of the inlay yields perpetual motion. The bowl pays homage to not only the work of Hamada but the countless number of folk potters who proceeded and inspired them both.