C=2πr

                                      

When I think about the work of the late Aoki Ryuzan (1926 - 2008) I don't necessarily think about Saga and Arita ware. What does come to mind is a potter whose work has a meticulous sense of throwing, tooling and form with a variety of surface treatments that not only complete his forms but in many respects help define his pottery. This simple yunomi is a good example of Aoki's classic decoration, temmoku glaze over porcelain, a rich and inviting iron lip with bands of oilspot style glaze surrounding the circumference of the pot with the one lone band of green focusing one's attention to the surface. This is a simple cup with a simple form and simple decoration but as you add up all the varying details, the pot is a study in complexity and how to get so many disparate elements pulling together to create a remarkable whole.