I
keep working on the various greens that I work with from the multiple Oribe
formulas to the old standard medieval green to see what more I can wring out of
the copper glazes. The small yunomi pictured is part of a set of six that I
made in which I soaked the glaze at high temperature for just a bit and then
let it cool as slowly as I could. The results were better than expected and
have that lush, verdant quality that only green glazes seem to possess, a depth
and richness that cloaks a pot in a comforting warmth and attractive invitation. The deeply
impressed decoration has filled up with extra glaze making fro a really dark
green appearance and the impressions also help in the function of the yunomi
making for a sure grip. I am pleased with this glaze, it is simple to make,
simple to use and simple to appreciate when it is fired, what more can you ask
from a surface?
Illustrated
is a classic 1980s Oni-Shino vase by Tsukigata Nahiko; the photo is from an ad
for an exhibition in a Japanese ceramics magazine. This vase clearly shows the thick, viscous
Shino having been pulled apart and crawled during the firing and creating exposed
chasms of iron which also shows through the whiteness of the surface about the
pot as well. The upper portion of neck and shoulder show areas where natural
wood ash has built up and in some places is now dripping down the surface
making the whole pot a bit more complication through the intense firing
process. The addition of lugs to the form while not exactly unique are not seen
that often as a rule and add a dimension that the pot would seem to have
needed. This particular form is one of many that Tsukigata relied on over the
years having a rather casual and easy to use ambience for tea ceremony, ikebana
or for just every day use though the powerful surface would require just the
right accompaniment in a floral companion. I should also mention that though I
have not handled the vase in the advert, I have handled a number of the
Oni-Shino where the glaze was just super thick and unctuous having a gem like
appearance, perhaps a bit like opal without the chatoyant flashes but quite
provocative and beautiful on its own, I suspect even a hashi rest would be
quite wondrous. Add the fierce iron and natural ash and you end up with a
landscape like melting ice off a spires face to which a picture of a picture just cannot do
it justice.
Quite
some time back I wrote a blog post entitled; YURIKO! with a detail shot of a
large tsubo by Yoshida Takashi. I was recently asked if I had any overall shots
of the pot and if so, could I please send a picture of the pot. I do indeed have
an overall, quite a few in fact and choose this picture to give a sense of the
piece with its smallish foot, broad shoulder and mouth and wonderful mentori
faceting around the pot which in no way interferes with the vivid underglaze
decoration. Though I mentioned the pot was large, I believe it was well over a
foot tall and wider yet but the exact dimensions escape me at the moment, the
images were easier to find than the notes. This jar today is at home with a
large, hakuji style fluted tsubo, larger yet by Takanaka Ko making for a rather
stark and impressive display.
The
other day we had customers stop by and bearing gifts to boot. Having seen my
post on the Voodoo Donuts, they showed up with two tasty looking Bavarian crème
filled donuts with chocolate frosting and green and yellow decoration just like
the ones I had illustrated in the prior post though of a much more classical
form. The two edible prezzies are nestled in on an old thrown slab plate with a
white Shino and resisted iron glaze of which we have a hand full we use for a
variety of functions. The iron glaze has a propensity to spot and have a subtle
oilspot effect which you cannot see in this photo. Back to the donuts which
were cut in to halves and shared along with a piping hot cup of coffee which
went quite well with the tasty treats. Though this happened a week ago just
looking at the photo makes me feel good on this cold, dreary Monday where the
daylight savings effects linger on. I seem to remember a quote to the
effect, "if it weren't for chocolate the world would be filled with a lot of unhappy
people", surely they must have misspoke and meant donuts.
I
know I have mentioned that I don't collect guinomi all that often and that most
are almost accidental acquisitions but every now and again a piece shows up
that I find compelling for any number of reasons. I purchased this fine little Echizen guinomi a
month ago and recently built a short slideshow videos to show it off a bit.
Made by Echizen wood firing veteran Nishiura Takeshi this robust and
exceptionally down to earth, even earthy guinomi just reminded me a a simple,
almost provincial piece easily navigates the old verses new timeline, defying
attempts to nail it down to a specific date despite being a product of modern
times. The vivid wood fired surface is covered with a wonderful array of
Echizen ash effects and the broad, sturdy form looks like it would be at home
in the hand of bushi or literati. The palette of colors ranging from blues,
greens, greys and browns balance wonderfully against the deep brown-green pool
that has frozen to the bottom and would look great looking up from a clear cup
of sake. I truly enjoy simple pots like this guinomi, no pretense, no bells and
whistles just filled with a vitality and atmosphere that nourishes the spirit
(and possibly one's inclination for spirits).
After a recent encounter with a rather nice temmoku
chawan by Kimura Morinobu, I searched around and was watching a video of him at
work and in a section of the video it shows him tooling the feet of some of his
chawan. The illustrated screen capture comes from that video and shows the
sequence and style of how he addresses the kodai of his chawan, they all
display a common thread, wonderful clay texturing from the tool, direct, fast
and just right for each bowl with an attached little pad, stamped with his
maker's mark applied after they are tooled. One of the other things I have
noticed is that he tends to make a narrower foot, much like those on old Korean
rice-bowls which I prefer to a broader foot. I like that a bowl rests on a
smaller pedestal and jumps up from that point, asking to be picked up and held.
I am sure I have said this before but nothing can sink a chawan faster than a
bad kodai and in looking at countless pieces by Kimura Morinobu, it is obvious
even in their practiced spontaneity that his thoughtful, all in approach to
pottery starts with the throwing, moves on to the trimming, glazing/ decorating
and is completed with his firing and it could be nothing less.
Admittedly,
the beginning of the year can be rather slow in terms of orders, re-orders,
commission etc. especially as yet another gallery has closed its doors. Several
weeks back I received a phone call asking me when I was going to pick up my
remaining work, six pieces, all terra cotta. I asked what was the matter and
then silence and I was given over to the gallery manager at Eureka Crafts in
Syracuse, this was their last week in business as a bustling retail area had
been converting over to restaurants and other edible specialties. I made
arrangements and went and picked up my pots and it was a somber moment for a
gallery in business since 1982 and had been carrying my work since 1992 (?). Though
at various times they had carried my stoneware, they had principally carried my
terra cotta works; slipwork, abstrakt resist and "It's Still Life"
among others, a great outlet for my work and that of a number of other crafts
people and jewelers. Not having had any advance warning, I was surprised and
now just a bit melancholy over the end of an era, Eureka was a wonderful
gallery run by wonderful people, crafts people. The work weeks starts, the
wheel keeps on spinning and terra cotta pots need making. Illustrated
is a medium size, high walled serving bowl made out of terra cotta with black
slip, incised decoration and white "tama" additions.
Nesting
on a kitchen shelf this illustrated set is a contemporary spin on the Sueki
style by Tsujimura Yui, son of Tsujimura Shiro and a wiz at a rather unique
Shigaraki styled firing. This photo was taken back in 2012 at the home of Alice
and Halsey North when my wife and I visited along with a small group from JASA
and has been sitting on the hard drive along with dozens of other images from
that time. I was impressed at the unique balance of the ancient and modern in
Yui's work which is clearly represented in this set composed of classic lines,
great clay texture and just the right amount of ash effects. Like his father's pottery,
there is nothing ostentatious or off putting about Tsujimura Yui's pieces, they
are warm and inviting and as you can clearly see they just ask to be handled
and used as frequently as possible.
I
received a package from Japan the other day, a rather inexpensive purchase off
of a ubiquitous auction website everyone seems goes to. I think the total of
the purchase with shipping was under $65 but despite that fact, the dealer/
shipper took every effort and thoughtful consideration to insure the contents
would arrive just as they were shipped. As is clear from the photo, once I
opened the box, there was a perfect level of crushed newspaper which peeled up,
fully intact as a single sheet of material though composed of a dozen or more
sheets of paper, the bottom of the package was made in exactly the same manner.
I suspect that once the bottom was laid in, the box was paced in the middle and
then the newspaper buffer was put in with enough care that it can also be
lifted out as a single cube, open on both ends. Once completed, the top panel
was put in and the cardboard box sealed and labeled. As can be seen in the rear
of the box, there is a small crushed area that stood up well due to the
exacting and caring way in which the pot was packed. I know it may seem
trivial to expound on the virtues of good packing but such efforts are not to
be overlooked and as often as I say a good bowl can be ruined by a bad foot, a
good pot can easily be ruined by bad packing. I can say that over the years I
have personally lived through a number of broken pots sent my way, a few that I
shipped, though one large box was actually driven over and I cannot relate the
number of horror stories I have heard, simply put, there is no such thing as
common sense packing, it is a skill and deserves to be applauded. Thanks for
the unique and dedicated packing! (I probably should mention that I
was also very pleased with the contents of the thorough packing, a very fine
chawan that I will put up at some later date.)
In
an ongoing project to convert old 35mm slides to digital images I came across a
group from the very first show of my work in 1992. The exhibition was held at
The Verne Collection in a space that they was provided them at John Carroll
University, a Jesuit institution in the center of University Heights, Ohio. If memory
serves me correctly, I provided approximately 60 pieces which included five or
six large hanging wall platters and a number of tea oriented ceramics such as
teabowls, water jars and vases though other items were also exhibited. Given the
nature of the show, my first exposure to the art scene, everything sold out in
the first two days of the show. In conjunction with my debut, there was great write
up in the Cleveland Plain Dealer, penned by Hellen Cullinan which was
illustrated with several photograph including one of me with a large wall
platter. Illustrated from this show is a Shino and copper red glazed water jar
form from the show under the wonderful "Junko My Love" print by
internationally known artist, Daniel Kelly. Considering the focus of the gallery
was principally 2-D the walls were filled in by famous prints spanning three
centuries, though this was my favorite at the time. It is quite a time warp
seeing the nearly dozen images from the show and remembering various pots that
were brought there and sold of which the large Shino and copper red platter and
this water jar still stand out all these years later. A big thanks to Mitzie
and Michael for the opportunity and to Helen for such a wonderful (and
positive) review.
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