One of the real drawbacks
of using the every depleting lepidolite Oribe glaze is that size does matter.
The bulk of the work is relegated to teabowls, flat plates and medium size
vases, bottles and mizusashi, all basically smaller pieces. The illustrated
bottle is the exception to the rule, at nearly 14" tall, it posed its own
unique challenges to glaze without making up a large amount of glaze, which was
just not going to happen. The plus side of the glaze I use, is that poured or
brushed, the surface tends to blend into itself in a rather homogeneous coating
making it possible to glaze a large vase using little more than a cup of glaze.
This vase, just under 14" in height has glaze built up a bit around the
incised decoration and at the base of the depressed neck to create a darker contrast
and adds a dimension to the surface that a solid and totally even glaze coat
would not. The various areas of darker and richer glaze helps articulate the
form and details and makes for a much more interesting surface. In all honesty,
I was rather startled what could be accomplished with just a single cup of
glaze.
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