F.C.E.

I'll be perfectly honest and say that I really don't know a lot about the potter who made this sweet Ki-Seto guinomi but when I first saw it, the reaction was visceral. Made by Iwatsuki Takemitsu (b.1949) this guinomi is part of a body of work mostly influenced by Momoyama pottery with a specialty in Ki-seto where he has spent 30 years experimenting with the right combination of clay, ash and firing techniques to try to reproduce a surface that he has set in his mind's eye. As for this guinomi it has that wonderful quality of at first appearing like a miniature chawan, the great posture and form are complimented by the sparse use of Ki-Seto glaze over incised decoration with copper accents. Even in this static photo, the pot is in motion with the variety of alterations to the thrown form aiding in this production from undulating lip, pinched and altered body and the accentuated lines around the waist and at the base create this perpetual motion. Though this guinomi is not made by one of the great Ki-Seto masters  if Iwatsuki was after capturing the character, playfulness and spirit of the Momoyama antecedents, he has done a pretty good job, definitely a first class effort.

K-O TESTING

Illustrated is the interior of a recent teabowl that I got out of the kiln, the clay was a small test batch but the glazes are ones I have been combining for a few months now. The glaze combination is what I am referring to as Kuro-Oribe because of the high iron content and the fact that it creates a rather dark surface overall. I have been pleased with the effects that I have been getting where a blend of glaze thickness and gravity have their way with the final look of the piece more than my experience as the glaze combo is still a bit new. The one thing I can say is that the use of this combo has created a non-stop sense of movement as it creates a droozy, tendril like effect running down the surface which I am partial to, in fact I am a huge fan of glazes and surfaces that move a lot and perhaps this is why I like wood fired pieces so much. I am thinking about adding a bit more iron, a splash of cobalt and manganese to this glaze and see where it goes from there, if anything interesting happens, I'll post up the result (if it is an utter disaster, perhaps I just won't mention that part).

HANA-ZU

Illustrated is a rather traditional and formal chawan made with mingei ideals in mind created for a single purpose while serving two intermingled aspirations, function and beauty. It is easy to say that because the students are so influenced by their master, Kawai Kanjiro that each of these potters just blends together elements of the teacher but I think it is safer to say that what was learned has been filtered through a lens of a differing experience and as such, each adds unique touches to the Kawai-mon. I think you can clearly see that in this chawan that has a form that relies on the archetype but there are nuances that make for a distinct style that is easy to separate from master and student. This chawan shows the maturity of Kawai Takeichi working within a more formal idiom and using decoration that relies on a blend of traditional Japanese design and elements he learned during his years at the studio and kiln of his master. I think since to most people it is easy to see the differences between Kawai Kanjiro and his nephew that it is also easy to say that though influenced, pieces like this clearly show the styles of a potter who has made his way within a new tradition but not in the shadow of its originator.

ONE PING ONLY

I am always reminded in the digital age that you are always just one mouse click away from stumbling on to some pot that is of interest, just one ping only. That is exactly what happened a couple months back when I was pursuing the ubiquitous auction site and came across this handsome fellow complete with signed box, cloth and exhibition flyer. As you can see from the composite photo, the pot is a rather large Oni-Iga yunomi by Tsukigata Nahiko made in or around 1992 according to the enclosed bio. The dark surface is covered in various effects including these rich tendrils of shimmering iron crystals that just add depth and movement to the yunomi that is completed with deep throwing rings around the base which also provide for a nice textural grip. The lip and the foot show classic Tsukigata attributes and the yunomi is finished off with his impressed "moon" seal which also adds a rather nice detail to the simple, utilitarian pot meant as much for contemplation as it is daily use. I can't see getting tired with a yunomi like this on the desk as I surf about looking for another for my wife, after all, this one is all mine.

ONE POUND OF CLAY AND 48"

First thing this Monday morning I am working on making a group of (UFO) serving bowls for an order which ties in well with some other commissions that need to be completed. Add to this that I am working on the second stage testing of a new glaze where I use small test cups to see how things work beyond  test pods and small slabs. These particular bowls are 4.5lb and measure about 16" across which should end up at about 14" when glazed and fired. The currently planning is to glaze a couple of these bowl in my saffron and a couple in temmoku and iron red, both making for rather practical and function surfaces. As for the bowl shape itself, I am sure it has been around for quite some time but honestly, I first started making this form at CSU  literally the very next day after watching EARTH VS THE FLYING SUACERS (1956). I think it is really apparent  by now that I am a product of TV (movies and music) and given enough time and all this "nonsense" in my head will find its way in to my work, one way or another.

F&F

Illustrated is a rather attractive and  henko by Kimura Mitsuru, son-in-law of Kimura Ichiro and inheritor of the distinct  Mashiko tradition established by Hamada Shoji. This robust form has a rich surface that focuses on and highlights the wax resist design of foliage with a soft, soothing green additions to the decoration. As with many (most?) of the Hamada and Kawai school potters, this henko is both a great use of design and form, it is basic simplicity which presents a great surface for glazes and decoration yet even unadorned the lines and scale are perfect for everyday use in the home, the purpose is not overlooked in favor of simply pleasing the eye. 

Basing his work on that of his father, Kimura Mitsuru makes a wide array of pots that borrow design elements and other nuances from Kimura Ichiro but as you look at the work, it is clear that was not their origin though like Hamada and Ichiro alike, the work is a distinct blend of form and function. I really like the cut of this henko, the bones of the piece are seductive and the rich visual appeal of the glaze and decoration simply clinch the deal, all in all a very alluring henko no matter where it was made.

E+E+P=D 2

I had posted up a detail shot of this wonky Shino mizusashi by Suzuki Goro a while back and finally got around to cleaning up some of the pictures so i thought I would post up this overall shot of the piece. I find the way that Suzuki crafted the base to be narrower than the upper most section of the pot to be playful and courageous after all would the bottom support the top as physics has its way in the making, drying and firing?  As you can see the years of experience allow Suzuki Goro quite a bit of latitude when it comes to making pottery, where other forms might fail, a careful understanding and insight into his clay and firing prevails and forms that he is so well known for intrigue viewers and potters alike. I will admit this form though casual and carefree is not nearly as adventurous as some of his pieces but it does have its wonky and out of control moments and the weighty top adds a certain amount of drama that the pot is all the better for processing.

SMALL BATCH

Given the current state of affairs I have had some extra time to work on ideas, test "stuff" and generally just get in trouble. In the past couple of months I have been playing with three new clay bodies that I am working on, each made up as 10lbs of dry material and then made into a slurry, dried on plaster slabs and then wedged thoroughly. One clay body I tested is basically a 60/40 mix of a stoneware and porcelain which is pictured suited up nicely in what I am still erroneously referring to as Kuro-Oribe, after all, everything needs a name. This clay is my second test body, has an off-white color on its own and like the first test body throws rather nicely and tools well even with the coarse additions to the body and it didn't warp in the bisque or glaze firing which is a plus. As you can see I threw a simple teabowl form where I used a metal rib to open up the grain of the clay a bit showing up quite well under the glaze which fits rather well and has a nice overall appearance, looking a bit different than the stoneware or porcelain clays by themselves. The other clay bodies are a new "small batch" porcelain and a somewhat rugged stoneware both of which are showing promise, more as I get out more results.

YOU LOOK MARVELOUS

There are a lot of pots out there made by a lot of potters both past and present that are not great but are just brimming with character, personality and varying appeal and I doubt that will be any different in the foreseeable future. I guess my real point is that a pot doesn't have to be great to pull a viewer or collector in, hook, line and sinker, all it needs is a strength and appeal that is conversant at a variety of levels that sparks a connection. The real question though is where does the character come from, what constitutes that as an attribute; is it the posture, form, surface, idiosyncrasies, movement, lip, interior, kodai, tradition or is it a combination of all those qualities in a subtle and nuanced gesture? However you wish to determine character, I choose to see it as the definable nature, or attribute of a thing and in this specific discussion, I am referring to pottery. I think that ultimately how we see character is far less objective than it is subjective and it boils down to each individual driven by the sum total of their experiences that let us simply conclude that; "you look marvelous".

I have built a slideshow video of a pot that isn't what one thinks of as classically great but it makes up for any perceived short comings by over flowing with character. This chawan is by Hagi veteran, Mukuhara Kashun and is a skillful blend of tradition and personal vision from the wild wari-kodai and cut and reassembled bowl to the rich surface and flowing areas of milky white glaze creating movement around the chawan. There is a playfulness and strength in this chawan which adds to my observation that this bowl has an abundance of character and I hope that after seeing the video you may agree as well.

REPURPOSED

Illustrated is a rather nice Ki-Seto hanaire that apparently started life out as a kake-ire hanging vase though now the hole for the hanger has been plugged with wood and then lacquered over. Truth be told, at nearly 10" tall and not particularly light weight, I don't really see this as a practical hanging vase though i am sure it would have work but the real question is who altered the vase, potter or subsequent owner.

This vase was made by one of Arakawa Toyozo's main students, Nakayama Naoki whose Shino and Ki-seto works bare the strong influence of the master though the details differentiate master from student and in this case the posture and form are quite different as well and the dragged vertical mark adding definition to the form is not quite as modeled as that of Arakawa. As for the surface there is a nice balance of translucent and dry areas giving glimpse of the clay through the glaze which has a wide array of glassy yellow-green areas and shimmery crystals created by the firing and small ash crystals. At the end of the day whether it is free standing or hanging doesn't affect the simple, even noble form and an appearance that looks like it has traveled from a point in the very distant past.

Perhaps not 100% applicable but interesting none the less; "Uncommon thinkers reuse what common thinkers refuse."  JRD Tata