POORLY PLANNED

Way back when on our very first trip to Japan to say that we were ill prepared would be a profound understatement. I have mentioned previously regarding the hospitality and generousity of the Honiwa family in acting as our impromptu tour guides of the area visiting the Takahashi, Ueda, Furutani, Kohyama, Tani as well as a few others. Let it suffice to say that our Shigaraki trip went a bit better than some of our other day excursions that in retrospect were poorly planned though we somehow managed to met with almost 30 potters in all on our first trip to Japan, most through happenstance and serendipity. What I don't think I have mentioned previously is that our initial trip was partially guided by the book; EARTH'n'FIRE by Amaury Saint-Gilles and a thin, nearly worn out catalogue from some exhibition from 1989, a catalogue that was lost during our move from Cleveland to New Hampshire. From these "resources" I compiled a list of potters that I was keen to meet or at the very least see some of their work which included Tamaoki Yasuo, Furutani Michio, Kaneta Sanzaemon VII among perhaps a group of about 20 most of which we did not meet on that trek. Among the potters that I had earmarked to visit was Kanemori Sowa (Noburo) but he was not at home when we called. As we visited several galleries no one had any pots by him at the time excepting one small yunomi which was just not our taste so for yet another potter, we left empty-handed. Many years after that trip, a gallery sent us a large number of past exhibition cards of which one was for a show of Kanemori's work and just a short while after this the vase pictured on the exhibition card popped up so we were fortunate to collect the piece.

 Illustrated is the super-fired Shigaraki vase by Kanemori Sowa that is best described as a lesson in texture of every form and variety where at points the built-up, pebbly ash is actually close to 1cm thick and thicker in some areas. The face of the hanaire is quite dark koge effects that is smooth to the touch and a bit ominous in appearance that gives way on either side to rather radical accumulation of texture reminding my of some of the ash and firing effects from the works of Kohyama Yasuhisa and Kanzaki Shiho though taking a bit further than these potters. In the midst of the koge effects and all the texture are small pools of green glass punctuating the surface adding a slight break to the somber and stoic quality of the vase and its exterior. It was a rather long wait to actually end up with a Kanemori pot and from my perspective worth it as the rich and unique environment that this vase presents is unlike anything else I had handled up to that point, did I mention not one month later a Shigaraki mizusashi showed up with what can only be described as equally idiosyncratic surface looking like it had just dropped in as a nearly spent meteor though with a lid and a box. Serendipity 2.0.

SEASONAL PUSH

Illustrated is a small group of "jeweled" tebori decorated terra cotta pots made during my seasonal push to get pots made for galleries and holiday sales. These are typical of the work in this idiom that I made with a serving bowl, a covered serving bowl and a v-bowl, thrown out of terra cotta clay, black slipped, carved and then having slip trailed dots added. There isn't anything too complex here in design, form or technology but they were built for function and hopefully with some attention to aesthetics and certainly work well together as matching pieces. These jeweled pieces were one of five groups made for various venues including "It's Still Life", abstrakt resist, tebori and just plain old B&W slip trailed pots using about a dozen or so forms which still work well together even if the surfaces don't exactly match and besides, what possibly beats an eclectic table?

CONSIDERATION

The can be elegance in function, beauty in utility and I think thid covered bowl is a study in those attributes. Beyond all of the attention of use from sturdy form and foot, strong lip, generous volume and eye catching handle terminating the lid, Bruce Cochrane has considerind the aesthetics in funtion to create a structure that invites use and satisfies the eye and fingertips. The design of the evocative form is contained by a simple and effective texture that is completed by a wonderful and subtle glaze choice that not only accentuates the minute topography of the body and lid but glistens, perpetually wet and draws the inquisitive viewer in for a more thorough inspection. To complete and compliement this covered pot, the very top of the lid is concave with and well concieved handle bridging the depressed area. I think it is quite easy to use various superlatives in regards to Bruce's work but to my mind, once you have seen and handled his very thoughtful vessels, utilitarian of otherwise, there is quite a bit to be said about these deceptively simple object where consideration takes a front seat in driving his creations. 

I made this short video to try to convey what this pot is like in person and hope it speaks the most convincingly for itself.

SEKKI

Classic, even textbook sekki vase form by 20th century stand out and non-traditionalist, Yasuhara Kimei (1906-1980). Thrown out of a dense porcelain clay Yasuhara added a distinct blackish stone like surface in which all of his disticnt pottery marks are washed over, filled in mishima style with a rather bright white to accentuate and animate the designs and overall surface. The form is distincly that of Yasuhara right down to the wiggly (?) added lug, handle on the side of the elongated neck and in truth, as soon as you get a glimpse of this pot it is rather clear who made it. 

Yasuhara Kimei was born in Tokyo and joined the Totokai, studying under Itaya Hazan which would point to his wide range of glazing and surface technology ranging from ash glazed pots to his original sekki and many others he pioneered and used along his time in clay. As you can see the body is covered in three bands of casually depicted triangles filled with a cross hatched design and inlaid scratching to fill in some of the negative space about the pot creating a surface that is alive with movement and intrigue from the base to the lip. There has been alot written about Yasuhara over the years but it is not until you see the pieces in person where the emotion, playfulness and lyrical design all come together with concept and form to create an object not static but so animated it is best to keep them away from a shelf's edge.

GRAB KNOB, LIFT LID

The idea and execution are simple enough, thrown stoneware covered bowl and lid covered over in black and white slip and then combed for decoration. I like making covered serving bowls quite a bit, the forms, uses and possibilities are almost endless as are their uses not to mention size from singles to large pieces intended for gatherings. I like to focus on smaller family oriented sizes for two to four people of which this would do quite well, it is easy to carry and the knob friendly to almost any size hand and fit to serve its hidden contents. The knob was made out of a left over thick piece of slab that I then paddled and folded to create a means in which to operate this complex mechanism; grab knob, lift lid. I also like the mystery of a covered pot, does it contain cale or brussel sprouts, heaven forbid or homemade mashed potatoes with scallions and herbs, your guess is as good as mine though I prefer the latter. I made a group of these in varying size, shapes and surfaces and with different knobs though it is likely that Oribe will not be my first choice here rather depending on either an amber or soda blue glaze to show off the shape and surface. Though the use is entirely up to where ever this ends up, hopefully nothing soggy or alien will fill the volume of this rather simple pot for any that end up on my table.

HAPPY NEW YEAR

Just wanted to wish everyone a very Happy New Year for 2024. I am truly hoping that the worst moments of 2024 exceed the very best of 2023!

DIVERSITY

di-ver-si-ty/ noun/ the state of being diverse; variety 

Now days when I think about modern Iga I think about the traditional and evolving works of Kojima Kenji who adds just a bit more to the Iga tradition on a daily basis. There is however quite a bit more to Kojima Kenji and in fact a number of the tradition based potters in Japan and that is diversity, a diversity most likely pioneered by past potters like Kitaoji Rosanjin, Kawakita Handeishi and more modern potters like Tsujimura Shiro where just about everything is at play and the boundries are meant to be pushed up against and broken if at all possible. 

Using some illustrations (assembled as a collage) from a few catalogues I just wanted to show just a few styles that Kojima Kenji has embraced to rather good effect ranging from Shino (Choseki), Iga Oribe, Hikidashi, Iga-Oribe and a number of other techniques showing a range from rather playful and inviting to somber and contemplative in nature. If you look at these six works closely enough there are some commonalities that link these pieces to the potter especially if you are fairly acquainted with his work from form and posture to the way the lip (kuchi-zukuri) and kodai are addressed. I realize I could have picked a variety of different modern potters but in the end I do have a large group of catalogues on Kojima Kenji, have handled more works by him than any other Iga potter excepting Furutani Michio and to be honest, I just enjoy the way he handles clay, Iga or otherwise.

BLUE SUIT

Not having used this soda blue glaze for some while I have been going through the paces from test pod to larger pot to make sure it still responds as it has in the past as I would like to think I have learned my lesson about being impetuous. I ended up going with this small covered jar for several reasons, first off it is larger than a teabowl, it isn't a teabowl (!) and by glazing the lid and the pot I can make sure it doesn't run enough to create problems with pieces being forever (or until I smash them with a hammer) melted together. 

This small covered jar was made to test out a variety of effects on one pot, once tooled, the piece had a black and white slip swirl brushed on the body and the lid excepting the finial. Once dried I painted on the line and brush stroke decoration to add a bit more movement and interest to the piece and then the gallery and lid were waxed off and the pieces glazed. After being fired the covered jar provided most of the input I was looking for including how the glaze looks on unadulterated stoneware as seen on the B.C. influenced finial. Now more or less fully proofed and with a firm belief the glaze responds exactly how it has in the past, maybe it is time to make some covered jars and wall bowls to be decked out in a new soda blue suit.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS

Happy, Merry, Cheerful, Joyful Holidays, Xmas, Christmas, Kwanzaa, Festivus, Season's Greetings and a very Happy or ambivelant New Years depending on your current dispostition and psychic predilictions.  Sentiments from Craig, Mindy and Khan the wondercat, background provided by Tsukigata Nahiko.

DEFINED CONCLUSION

Illustrated  is a two view picture of the front and back of an Iga henko by Atarashi Keizo. Composed of slabs for the front and back, a strip of clay, possibly thrown for the center of the form and a thrown and slightly altered neck and mouth, the form is further articulated by marks made by the potter to further articulate and define the surface. Made of a somewhat coarse clay, this pot was wood fired and has weight and volume to this sturdy form as well as displaying an array of effects that also clearly defines the front and back of this pot. As for the incised decoration, I am not sure of Atarashi's motivation but every time I look at the henko I am reminded of roadside Jizo that I would see on my travels in Japan though I admit, everyone will see something possibly quite a bit different. Atarashi Keizo moved from Osaka to Iga after having apprenticed in Mashiko and set up his studio, Kourin-gama in Mie Prefecture.    

Atarashi must have favored this particular form as I have encountered a number of versions of this henko that I have seen including one in the; GENDAI TOGEI HANAIRE (no) TSUBO ZUIKAN  that highlights potters and their various interpretations of modern Japanese vase forms. At the end of the day, this is a somewhat simple pot that was well constructed though in a casual manner that doesn't seem all that interested in any mis-spent adventure. Instead both Atarashi Keizo and pot rely on tradition, a hint of innovation, good clay, a simple yet evocative form, a well fired kiln and years of experience to guide a potter's voice to a well defined conclusion.