TOO MUCH GAS

I have been making a thickish white slip out of my porcelain slurry for a while now with a touch of soda ash and frit and find myself having a problem with too much gas being released during the firing and sometimes (?) causing pinholes. Since the slurry comes right out of the bucket as is, I have been playing around with ways to help eliminate the problem with mixed results and in one case the slip shivers off the pot after the glaze firing. Using smaller test rings I have made a few alterations and now fire the bisque a bit hotter and for a longer period of time. The last test batch showed promise so I threw a large teabowl this morning that will be my next step following the tested procedure. I also decided to go with a hakeme decoration as that seems to compound the pinholing problem so we will see what happens once the bowl is tooled, dried, bisque, and glaze fired. The more you change things the more they change! Should have paid more attention  to the philosophical concept of cause and effect and how it applies to chemistry, physics and pottery.

"In everything we ought to look to the end."  Jean de La Fontaine (1621-1695)

SUPERSIZED

I recently saw a video from a Japanese TV show where they show a huge chawan made during the Meiji period, it was about two feet in diameter and it got me thinking again about volume and scale in relationship to chadogu, but chawan in particular. Though two feet is just a bit large for a chawan, the o-buri super sized Hagi chawan of Miwa Kyusetsu XI (Jyusetsu) spring to mind. Mostly made in last two decades of his life, some of Miwa's chawan are positively huge, what exactly is the intent? Do these chawan transcends mere function and practicality to be conceptual vessels or more a statement about chawan than necessarily being chawan themselves? I have seen a few of these pots in person, beyond the aspects of function, these pots seem infused with pure masculinity and bravado, sculpture intended for use and aesthetic appreciation. In a magazine somewhere, I have a photo of a Kyusetsu chawan on display in the tokonoma, as a basin with a flower floating in the bowl filled with water and in another book there is a Oni-Hagi teabowl that measures 21.8cm in diameter where the average chawan comes in somewhere around 12.5cm. Functional vessel, sculpture or purely an object for appreciation, I wonder if he didn't make them like this, simply because he wanted to and he could.

As I continue to contemplate  size, scale and volume, besides Miwa Kyusetsu, both Tsukigata Nahiko and Kumano Kuroemon come  to mind. For Tsukigata, the "bushi" (Samurai warrior) ideal would seem to be part of his motivation for creating such large and powerful chawan, but for Kumano, I have often suspected that his large chawan are created at such a scale simply to match the ferocity and intensity of the firing process where the pots and potter are pushed to the brink. As I survey his large chawan I can get caught up in fantasy and imagine such bowls in use by the likes of a Sumo Yokozuna (grand champion) or the Ogre of Mt. Oe (Shuten-Doji) should either partake of tea. Illustrated is a large Kuma-Shino chawan by Kumano Kuroemon. I took the picture with me holding the bowl for scale, I am 6'2" and wear and X-L glove for perspective and this bowl measures in at just over 16.5cm, I think the size of the pot is apparent. Though I have heard Kumano's works described as grotesque (in form and scale) by some, to me there is a brutal, honest beauty to these pots. Their stories and encounters with unheard of temperatures and firings are permanently fused within their surfaces and forms. There are few potters who decide to work at this scale and even fewer who can pull it off but Kumano alone has become synonymous with chawan (and spirit) that are larger than life.

CLOSE CALL

Illustrated is a picture of the bottom of a covered jar, the pot was glazed first in temmoku and then in my runny red iron glaze and is what is known as a close call. It is immediately apparent that the glaze is rather runny and if you are going to dance with the devil, best to build in a glaze trap just above the foot to slow down the momentum of the molten glaze. The other thing that shows up well in the picture is the glaze runs and thins down, collecting to create a crystalline like surface of mostly pure iron with reflective speckles scattered among the glaze runs. This effect shows up rather brilliantly in bright direct light or in sunlight and gives more depth to the glazed surface. This is obviously another one of those unpredictable happenings which makes working with these glazes all the more interesting, each pot comes out with its own individual version of the same two glazes.

SPOT

I made a short slideshow showcasing a nice, salt fired Persian box by Michael Simon, student of Warren Mackenzie. Michael is a master of the thrown and altered genre and his ability to manipulate clay in a natural and simple way is almost unparalleled in modern pottery. There are a number of subtle details to discover in Simon's boxes that are easily missed if the pot is not handled and I thought a slideshow of all the details would be a better insight into his box forms that a single picture in a book. I hope this helps.

"If I have made any valuable discoveries, it is owing more to patient attention, than to any other talent."   Sir Isaac Newton (1642-1727)

ASKEW

Cloaked in various hues of hi-iro and ash with strong tsuchi-aji, this Shigaraki bottle-vase is by veteran potter, Otani Shiro. At first glance it appears a nice pot but on closer inspection it is easy to see that this is a pot that takes those 10,000 hours to create. The attention to the posture of the pot, the finish of the foot, defining its termination, the casual lean of the neck and mouth slightly askew all add up to make for a rather interesting piece. The flashed surface adds to the vertical nobility of the bottle and a subtle set of lines running around the shoulder are all of the intentional decoration that is needed. There is a profound sense of appropriateness that many wood fired pots possess as the potter gain mastery over just what to add without throwing the entire piece into visual chaos.

LIL'SPOTS

When I am using my iron glaze over temmoku there are a number of variables that dictate how the surface will come out. The illustrated detail shot shows a large number of iron crystal spots that appeared all of the surface of a teabowl. The general characteristic of the streaky, running glaze is there but the surface is punctuated with all these little spots of iron making for a neat effect. This happens every now and again but is not something I can count on but if it were 100% predictable, what fun would that be?

BOOK COVER

I know a book dealer who from time to time finds books on Japanese pottery and recently he found a nice set of five books on "famous" potters of the Showa period. As I unpacked the group, each in their own protective boxes, the first volume I pulled out immediately got my attention. On the full color dust jacket is a fine Tsukigata Nahiko kinuta vase. Being fond of not only the form, but the potter, I thought it rather telling that this was the pot chosen for the cover where all the other illustrations are B/W. Some of the other volumes had pictures of Koyama Fujio, Miwa Kyusetsu and Kusube Yaichi on the covers so obviously both author and publisher thought extremely highly of Tsukigata and his work. Illustrated is a photo of the book cover, a very fine and rustic looking Oni-Shino kinuta-hanaire, the surface is a rich blend of glassy and semi-dry ash creating a wonderful landscape and the fissures that are a by-product of a tumultuous and brutal firing add a charm to the pot, creating a timeless beauty. Having seen a number of this form by Tsukigata, I can say they have a great sense of strength and honesty that few pots can match. On occasion I use the term "book cover pot" to emphasize the importance and bearing of a piece, in this case it has that and so much more.

"You can't judge a book by its cover."  Old Anonymous Idiom

E-SHINO PICTURE SHOW

Though appearing to be a Muji-Shino vase, the subtle iron decoration under the glaze gives away the true identity of this piece as classic E-Shino. Inspired by Momoyama archetypes, this vase has wonderful throwing marks creating a sense of movement and gesture, a skill that Hayashi Shotaro excels at. I had these photos hanging around and decided to build a slideshow to try to impart what this pot looks like in person. Though subtle in many respects, there is a presence to the vase that single photos just can not capture. You can see this vase over at my marketplace by following the attached link;

http://www.trocadero.com/albedo3studio/items/1147898/item1147898store.html#item

MUGGED

I like black & white, the possibilities may seem finite, but they are in fact infinite and only limited by one's imagination. The illustrated black & white mug is what I refer to as "mugged", thrown round and cut, darted and beat up a bit to form a slightly ovoid shape with a distinct lean where the handle is attached helping make for a more comfortable grip and is finished off with a pronounced thumb rest to aid in the general physics of drinking. The surface was coated in a rich black with white applied over creating a distinct seam along either side, balanced above the notched foot which creates a sense of backward movement in the piece. This type of pot is fun to make and like so many others, even move fun to use. Anyone for a late summer glass of banana bread beer?

"Imagination disposes of everything; it creates beauty, justice and happiness, which are everything in this world."  Blaise Pascal (1623-1662)

A SIGNATURE POT

I have written about Mizuno Takuzo in several previous posts, his work is both visually engaging and functional in its execution, he has a precise sense of appropriateness in relationship to chadogu and its design. This wonderful Oni-Shino chaire is a classic example of his work and the possibilities that he sees within the tradition and the stereotyped vessels used for tea ceremony. The Momoyama influenced piece has an evocative, almost Rimpa style decoration in rich iron slip that once covered in several varying layers of Shino glaze creates a variety of atmospheres that conjure up thoughts of both misty moors and a myriad of tales of ancient Japan. What never disappoints about the work of Mizuno is the unique quality of his glaze with its thick, translucent nature and the fine cells and crawling that appear like a signature of an individual potter, there is a calming nature to his surfaces even when they present rich, complex and even turbulent visions.

You can see more of this chaire by following the provided link to my Trocadero marketplace;

http://www.trocadero.com/albedo3studio/items/1262488/item1262488store.html

ON COLLECTING REDUX

I originally wrote this a number of years back and it was posted on a friends website. Last year the website closed down so I thought it about time that I posted this up on my blog to give a glimpse into how I see collecting. I have had a fair amount of feedback over the years to this short essay and hope it is at the very least an interesting read.

ON COLLECTING

Why collect, why indeed! Is the presence of beauty and a “well made” object not enough of a reason? The honest truth in my mind, is the fact that I do not collect anything. This is not a mere exercise in semantics or some escapist clause looking to avoid the label of “materialist”. Rather I believe that my lifestyle is a dramatic and obligating choice to live with and around handmade or created objects.  This choice involves me in the daily interaction from this “things”, feeding off their inspiration, the care and curatorial duties that maintain them and the ongoing study of the history, context and creation of the “well made”.

From the time I was 16 and handled my first Michael Price California Dirk and began to decipher the mysteries of the Japanese Sword, I made a choice to have a personal space, an environment, that I could have a degree of control over. A personal space began to define itself as one, which allowed me an uninterrupted moment of calm, as well as being able to give me inspiration and clarity. This choice created a space that fostered a dialogue that I continue to strive for today. To this end most people label me a collector, this looses site of a path my wife and I have embarked. A way of living, into which we can retreat, a sanctuary of handmade objects from which we can replenish and nourish our spirit.

For over 20 years I have made a conscious choice to own little, but to live with objects we find to have a sense of import or consequence. Our house is the only controllable environment that we have, and we strive to create a sanctuary from many of the worlds harsher realities as well as the stress and pressures of daily living. Within our home and it’s few pieces of handmade furniture, prints, painting, pottery and metalwork, we are managing a space that allows us brief moments of tranquility and clarity. The passion for living this way, in and around objects we see as beauty, has become our reward and personal connection to the works and talents of many inspired artisans, both living and dead, with whom we may have an ongoing and rich dialogue.

“The question, is not what you look at, but what do you see?”, this quote by Henry David Thoreau crystallizes my belief in the constant dialogue between object and viewer. “Good work” is first and foremost about this dialogue. The primary dialogue takes place between the maker and his artwork; the secondary dialogue is between the object and the viewer. In an object that qualifies as “well made” the dialogue moves through the maker, into the object, and to the viewer in a manner that can not be explained, only felt. It is like standing in front of Monet’s Waterlilly paintings or other masterpieces, the message, though at many differing levels, is understood by all who come in contact with them. It is in my mind, probably this dynamic that defines the object and all other objects that are of a like nature.

It is this dialogue, a very personal and often solitary experience that has forced me to live the way that I do. In this dialogue, I am able to place an object within an aesthetic context, but also a personal one within my own environment along with my interests and experiences from music and film to food, drink and literature. By creating this dialogue, I can also help decide how I live, influencing moods, pursuits and my personal creativity in my pottery and paintings.

Choosing things to live with is a very personal and rarely objective experience. I am guilty of responding to objects that I perceive as “well made”, and consequently in time the level of dialogue I can have with them is diminished. These were the wrong choices, things that I become complacent with or bored of. Things to look for should be a constant source of information and emotion. Over time and exposure to new experience the greater the dialogue with a “well made” object becomes. At 20 and now at 40, my ability to maintain a meaningful and rewarding dialogue with arts and crafts has changed and matured. A knife, sword or other object owned at 20 can not maintain this level of dialogue a piece acquired at 40 would take. Today decisions are made slower, even though an object may speak to me immediately. With time my ability to see within the object, beyond its technical craftsmanship, into its nature to transcend mere formality and function, has developed and with new experiences will hopefully continue to do so. Today the works I am looking to live with reach beyond a high level of craftsmanship and artistry, looking to push beyond the conventional and add to the field rather than simply rely on those things, which have come before it.

Most objects that I respond to now are stripped of the superfluous, and stand firmly on the beauty of a distilled line. These objects, whether chair or sword, reach for that indefinable “something” well beyond the concept of function, existing form and the preconceived limitations of contemporary materials. Contemporary damascus and modern studio furniture are good examples of this new aesthetic.

The qualities of a “well made” object are subtle. Inherently they possess a mastery or near mastery of the material, process and art of the particular pursuit. The simpler a “well made” object is, the more complex its definition becomes. Artists and craftsman after this “well made” work, after gaining a level of technical virtuosity, strip away these binding issues and in the conscious and unconscious mind, struggle with the greater concepts of contributing to the art, context and the act of creation. When all works well, as dained by the gods, the luck of planetary alignment or some other act of serendipity, an object is born that bares it’s presence or spirit. I have encountered things, such as a Japanese teabowl of the 16^th century, which had enough presence to fill a large gallery space. For this reason, museums carefully arrange their spaces to avoid overwhelming their guest and burning them out. When these pieces are created, I believe a certain amount of the creative spontaneity and tension is captured within the work suspending a moment of the creation.

Spirited and empowered works, somehow possess a spark that captivates those who come in contact with it. It is in this way that the viewer and viewed share a dialogue, a moment, that unfolds or unravels the nature and intent of the object. It is through a sensitivity of concept, form, material and process borne of humble and noble materials alike, which establishes the criterion by which an art/ craft is defined and driven. Likewise those sensitive enough to perceive these subtitles are able to enter into a lifelong dialogue with the works. Irrespective of whether or not they own the work in question. “Well made” objects somehow contain an ability to open themselves and share their inner beauty, meaning and complexities with those sensitive enough, and receptive enough to initiate, maintain, and continue a dialogue.

Through the internalizing process of creation and sharing the created, both craftsman/ artist and collector are plunged into a moment that shares not only the present object, but also its foundation in the past, it’s context and presence in the moment and it’s vital role in pushing the art into the future. A “well made” object maintains this interest and dialogue. The dialogue is continuous and continues to develop over time. These objects constantly reveal themselves, the longer they are lived with and around. In time you think you know all the nuances of a piece, yet you are constantly made aware that there are things you discover with each encounter. By bringing new experiences to the table, as you grow, your perception of the details change and your insights become more acute. Every day a new dialogue emerges, this work is never boring.  A good piece, "well made”, will always meet your aesthetic and emotional needs.

So, why collect, this is the personal, individual responsibility that needs to be answered. There are many reasons and definitions for collecting or living with art and craft. In my nearly three decades of “collecting”, I have found that the dialogue,  curatorial responsibilities and a need to research and define an object’s context, have driven me into the esoterica of metal, clay and ink. I believe that this pathway has lead me to a more insightful and complete relationship with my environment and hopefully in time will help me become not only a better craftsman, but a more thoughtful and responsible “collector”.

CONVERSATION II

As I have mentioned before, as a pot comes through my hands, I try to take as many meaningful pictures of it as possible. This documents the piece and allows me to capture nuances and details that over time I may forget about. Having all of these pictures and a new slideshow program allows me to share pots in a different way than a single photograph providing a better perspective of the piece. Hopefully in this case, the slideshow will help capture the strength and power of the pot and give a hint of what it looks like in hand.

After searching around Youtube where I host these slideshows, I was rather surprised that there was not a single piece up by Tsukigata Nahiko and thought it high time to remedy that omission. This Oni-Shino chawan was a piece that came through here a while back and was a good representative piece by Tsukigata with a wide array of features, a strong kodai and very nice teapool, mikomi. I am particularly fond of the bright green accents here and there on the outside face of the chawan along with the rich pattern created where the chawan stood on wads as the bowl was woodfired in an anagama. There is a lot to see in the pot and the conversation one could have is a bit more fleshed out by presenting the bowl in a more kinetic fashion.

The original blog post for a similar Tsukigata chawan can be seen by clicking on this link; http://albedo3studio.blogspot.com/2011/10/conversation.html

HAPPY LABOR DAY

Happy Labor Day to one and all.

"Work is the greatest thing in the world, so we should always save some of it for tomorrow." Don Herold (1889-1966)