CANVASES

Utter simplicity yet a rather complex presentation where clay texture, form, lip, foot, geometry and graduated tones of Oribe all work together to create this evocative guinomi. Created by Suzuki Tetsu, son of Juyo Mukei Bunkazai, Suzuki Osamu, he has charted his own unique pathway, distinct from his father where much of his work revolves around various incarnations of Oribe and layered copper and iron glazes painting a rich landscape on his modern forms, literally canvases  for the 21st century. Though seemingly simple in exectution that a subtle details and consideration that steer you to just how complex such a small piece can actually be. I am captivated by the clay surface and its interaction with the glaze(s) creating a rather nuanced visual texture. Simple and small perhaps but in hand far larger than its diminutive dimensions may initially impart.

VOICE & VISION

Inviting, satisfying, rich, warm; these are just a few words that spring to mind as I am looking at this Shino chawan by Tamaoki Yasuo. Real or imagined, I have a strong connection to the potter and his work from various trips to Japan where he was on the list of potters to visit on our very first trip to Japan in 1990. This Aka-Shino chawan is early work by Tamaoki though it clearly has a place of distinction among his many decades of dedication to a tradition where ideals and archetypes give way to voice and vision forging a pathway to one's own style while adding to centuries of what has come before. The simple, curving  form terminates at a well conceived kodai and an undulating lip that bookends the surface composed of a rich iron slip influencing the glaze, creating a mottled rich, iron red and areas of thicker white accents all boundaried by the myriad of crawling pathways giving way to the wet, iron below. It is quite easy for me to articulate my interest in the works of Tamaoki Yasuo, he has a lifetime perfecting an alliance between clay, form, surface and fire, creating works that are never easy to overlook and rarely fail to live an impression.

Invitation (by Shel Silverstein)

If you are a dreamer, come in

If you are a dreamer, a wisher, a liar,

A hope-er, a pray-er, a magic bean buyer...

If you're a pretender, come sit by the fire

For we have some flax-golden tales to spin.

Come in!
Come in!

MOVEMENT IN BLUE

This teabowl seems to be all about movememnt in blue. Thrown out of stoneware, I combed the slip, kushime style and then glazed it in the soda blue I have resurrected recently. Where the combing went to the clay body it adds an additional layer of color and movement to the piece and honestly perks up the piece just a bit. Nothing very complicated to see here but everything did seem to go together properly and on some days, that is absolutely the best I can ask or hope for.

DELIBERATE

When I first saw this thrown and altered vase form, all I could think was what an excellent use of iron, iron in the temmoku base glaze and also in the rusty overglaze application causing the runny, partridge style effects. Originally round and now octagonal, Kobayashi Kazumasa has defined, deliniated the eight planes by adding protruding borders at the intersection of each panel adding a bit of drama to the form. The planes, lip and angled foot of this vase form create a rather stoic, geometric form that has elements of movement just backing the piece away from the precipice of appearing  to be of industrial origins.        

Kobayashi Kazumasa worked in Kyoto and studied under Kawai Einosuke who was well know for his knowledge and use of glazes. Though I am not well acquainted with Kobayashi's work, it does appear like he made use of a lot of iron glazes including on a number of tokkuri, guinomi and yunomi that are out circling in the ether of the internet. At any rate, this vase shows a reliance on a Kyoto aesthetic blended with Chinese pottery archtypes, blended and used in a rather skilled and deliberate manner which makes me curious about what will be the next pot by this Kobayashi Kazumasa that I encounter?

DEVIL-MAY-CARE

Looking a bit like it is taking a mid-afternoon nap, this Shigaraki kakeire is about as wonky as they come. Almost folded at the neck and shoulder the form was manipulated to produce a bunch of character and even a bit of a caricature of the form itself. Though I am not hugely drawn to hanging vases, the fact that it is a rather well fired Shigaraki uzukumaru based form and it is by Suzuki Shigeji adds a few ticks in the plus column. As you can see this little vase has a wonderful golden brown crust of ash with areas of attached charcoal and terminates in a wondrous sharp, craggy lip that truly helps define the feeling of the piece. Despite being traditional in nature and having been subjected to the extremes of process and temperature, this small kakeire has an almost playful and devil-may-care attitude and posture which in my book is just what I want out of a simple, useful pot.

THE SECOND

Today was another one of those busy days, besides firing a glaze kiln there was making a few pots, glazing up a group of pieces for another firing and putting together several tests. We had to wait on a delivery truck, the kind that can come anytime between 10am and 2pm. Since the day really got away from me, I decided to post the second katakuchi and matching cup as a quick post. This is obviously not a large piece, thrown out of stoneware and covered in black and white decoration, I went with the soda blue glaze on this set which worked well with the simple decoration and forms. There is one last katakuchi, actually the first one of the series, it is currently in the glaze fire and is glazed in Oribe with thick hakeme panels on either side but it does not have a matching cup. If it comes out half-way decent I will likely make a couple of cups to go with it as it is generous enough to be used by two. Back to the studio to keep my eye on the kiln.

CONSCIOUSLY THROWN

There is a rather undeniable ferocity to the surface of this Shigaraki mizusashi by Niigata resident, Kon Chiharu. There is the ferocity of the pot itself standing up to the intense heat and velocity of flame and then there is the unmistakable ferocity contained within the kiln and process of the wood fired experience. The surface narrates a story of movement, determination, endurance and durability where ash adorns the pot and shows how it was fired and how potter choose clay and an ideal form to best appreciate the nature of its making. There is a simplicity to this hyotan inspired form, a form born of evolution has been co-opted in clay for its effective volume and scale. Due to all of its curves and sloping plains consciously thrown make for a wonderful canvas for the rich ash to paint its masterwork across the surface. The seemingly gravity defying ash adds drama, movement and certainly a rich landscape to a pot integral to a ritual ceremony that in many respects mirrors a similar ritual carried out between clay, potter and fire, one that is thousands of years old.

NOT ENTIRELY FORGOTTEN

So I don't think I have posted this before, feel free to correct me if I have. This pot passed through here quite a long time ago but as with most pots, it may be gone but not entirely forgotten. This Shigaraki mizusashi was made by Furutani Churoku IV (Hiromu) back in the 1980s if memory serves me based on the accompanying enclosed bio. Classic in form, style and surface, I think this clearly falls under the catagory of utsushimono, copy or replicate made to emulate what archtypes have come before as well as to bolster a tradition and pass on ideals that have some proven merit through time and use.    

This particular example is pretty streamlined, stripped of superfluous details with simple base, neck, mouth and lid and an almost obligatory addition of lugs but allows the firing to narrate the nuances and honesty of the pot. I like how the mood and tone of the pot changes from dark to lighter as you visual ascend the mizusashi making for a distinctive, banded surface created as the firing pot sat in charcoal adding the slightly brooding emotion to the base. Classic and honest, I think I'll stick with that description, it  works just fine for this aged pot by Furutani Churoku

NEW COAT

In an effort to see what I can do with existing ideas, designs and decorations in an even slightly different manner, I have been bringing techniques that I use in terra cotta to stoneware and white stoneware for a fresh look. Using the honey amber, soda blue and my Oribe glaze has worked well in varying carved slip, the all black carved tebori and some wax resist decoration and I am pleased with how moving from a clear glaze or temperature range has added a new look to tried and true decoration and designs.        

Illustrated is a classic pasta, bisque or salad bowl, an omni-bowl if you will where using black and white slip simply carved with the "grasses" pattern it has a distinct and contrasting appearance to what has normally just been a clear glaze surface. There is a richness to the surface with the slightest hint of running, droozy iron making its way from lip to center of the bowl without being to obvious or overwelming. Being that this was the first bowl of this style and surface, done as a way to proof the idea it has not made it very far, now replacing a similar shaped bowl that ended up chipped in a somewhat recent catastrophic(!) event.  Though as soon as I can get past this terra cotta cycle, several orders and a handful of pieces needed for a show, it will be full stream ahead making what I have made all along with a new look and a shiny new coat.

PAST TO PRESENT

Quite a long while ago a friend sent me an email saying he would be sending me a chawan that I may be interested in or at least looking at. Several days later this chawan arrived well packed in an unmarked wood box but the work itself is unmistakably by Kawai Kanjiro. Rifling through several catalogues and The MINGEI magazine (#556, Ex. No8) I found several nearly identical chawan to this one with this decoration though I suspect there are far more as this form and design work so well together as do most of Kawai's work. The rich iron tessha surface is so reflective and metalic making for the ideal canvas for some rozome decoration and a few experienced strokes of red and blue to complete the bowl. As for the form, perched atop a tall pedestal foot the bowl in this case has a classic wan-gata style that most likely found it origins back in the Edo period lacquer ware of the time borrowed and modernized for a new purpose. All in all this is a rather classic chawan by Kawai Kanjiro with a nod to the aesthetics  of Kyoto which helped nourish his creativity and was his home throughout his entire lifetime where his art connected past to present.    

"Anyone can make beautiful things," says Kawai-san. "The capacity for expression and creation is in everyone, but not all of us realize this. We work and produce in spite of ourselves. The unknown self drives us on always." (* Quote from WE DO NOT WALK ALONE by Kawai Kanjiro that I take to heart and always hope that he is right!)  

(I apologize for the single, poor quality picture it is all I have from this encounter that happened at least three cameras and a long time ago.)