Starting out with a simple idea and form, cut paper is
applied to the piece, thick slip is applied all over the surface of the pot and
when set up, the paper is removed and the pattern emerges. This was a favorite
and oft used technique of Shinkai Kanzan (1912-1996) that together with a rich base
glaze and a variety of oxide washes, created both vivid color variations and
gesture within the decoration. From this perspective, the full breath of the
pattern is visible, almost as if to imitate a carousel in motion with rich
tones of amber and burgundy dividing the form along defined visual section. As
with many of his pots decorated in this manner, it is a simple idea that yields
the most infinite of possibilities.
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