WIND IN THE WILLOWS

When you conjour up an image of pottery by Tomimoto Kenkichi, you can see the majestic and intricated painted porcelains he is so well known for but there is another side to his work that rarely gets the attention it deserves. The work I am talking about is the ink painting inspired pottery made as slipware, stoneware and painted porcelains that he concentrated on early in his career depicted all types of flora, fauna, landscapes and pattern some of which has connections to the Mingei movement, The Arts and Crafts Movement, various folk potteries, older Kutani and even Momoyama inspired ink painting. Though I love his inticate painted porcelains, I love his more spontaneous and subdued works on pottery and in ink and water colors as well. This vivid ink and wash scroll painting brings you to the exact spot of the image, feeling the wind in the willows, hearing the rustling of the blowing branches and leaves. It is wonderful how using just the right amount of brush strokes and the right depth of color can stir the imagination and set the mind in to motion; unquestionably the skill of a gifted artist.