KOH-TSUBO II

I was thinking about the small Kohyama Yasuhisa Shigaraki ko-tsubo that I posted the other day and it got me thinking about my stay with him back in 1993. As I was thinking about my time at his studio and home, I had the feeling that somewhere there was a picture of sensei throwing a similar ko-tsubo and after digging through files, I found the picture in question. Though the ko-tsubo on the wheel is a bit larger at about 8" tall or so, the form and especially the neck/mouth are spot on to the one illustrated. One of the hallmarks of a good design is the ability to create that design in a variety of sizes and this is a skill that Kohyama excels at. Many of his pots vary from small to large though based on a "standard" form or design making for an immediately recognizable style that points directly to the maker; it is quite possible that Kohyama's early study of design with Sakuzo Hineno (1907-1984) has something to do with this, but I think it is also about the years of developing a style and direction that makes fullest use of the Sueki inspiration and his creative voice.