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.
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