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)
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