OUT OF THE FIRE

I always enjoy handling a "new" pot by Mino potter, Mizuno Takuzo, his work is built for function, practicality and for just the right amount of intriguing allure plucked right out of the fire. Having arrived here just today this robust Seto-Guro chawan is no different with a form thrown to capture the movement of the wheel, the slightly curdled surface offers just the right amount of texture to please both hand and eye while the interior is mostly smooth black to make it quite easy on the tea whisk. There are a few semi-dry areas to the glaze as to be expected but the majority has a nice wetness to the surface with a distinct teapool and bare clay exposed where a foot was tooled to complicate the overall piece. This pot was fired to red hot temperatures and then with long-handled tongs it was pulled, hikidashi style from the kiln and after a few moments plunged in to water to lock in the color and texture of the surface. Though Mizuno Takuzo was accomplished at a variety of styles, he was named Intangible Cultural Property of Toki for his exacting dedication to his Seto-Guro technique. If you look carefully you can see the remnants of the tong marks in the very center of the photograph which just adds to the black landscape of this chawan.