I
finally fired a group of new Oribe test pieces including some small covered
jars, a few serving pieces, teabowls and the kotsuzumi style koro that I had
made. The results were pretty encouraging across the board with a nice array of
effects on the various pots, each according to how they were glaze treated. The
kotsuzumi style koro emerged without incident though I must admit until it was
unloaded I just had this sense that it may be jinxed but I was anxious for no
reason at all in the end. The koro came out pretty close to form as I had seen
in my head and the surface has a wild, variegated surface with streaking
resembling drizzling moss across nearly the entire surface with some areas of
thick blue-green to white running down the pierced knob and around the central
portion of the pot. The various sharp edges and lines around the pot as well as
the pierced and impressed squares break up the surface and add more movement
and detail to read. In the end I am both relieved and pleased to see this piece
completed, what started as a quick thought while watching a Mizoguchi film made
its way from a ball of clay to a complete idea in three dimensions, what is not
to love about clay and second chances?
.JPG)
