BAKED IN

I have written about the maker of this Shigaraki mizusashi, Ota Minoru on my blog before. I am intrigued by how he uses and works clay and how he interprets older forms with a unique and naïve style. As with this mizusashi, his pots have a casual, quirky and often wonky appearance made of clay with lots of feldspar which punctuates the pot like stars in the sky under the wood fired surfaces adding ash and hi-iro to the pot like a painter adding dabs and fields of color to his canvas. Beyond the feldspar and ash, this mizusashi is well articulated in marks from the potter both horizontally and vertically adding movement and dimension to the form, marks that are spontaneous and fierce like the fire that it had to survive. The posture and attitude of the piece exudes confidence and strength collected over years of working in clay and infusing it into each pot made. I have to admit, I have a fondness for pots that combine spontaneity, naiveté and honesty all in one package and this Ota mizusashi clearly has all those attributes and character all baked in.