WHAT'S OLD IS NEW

This wide shouldered jar is a classic utsushi-mono of a medieval Ko-Shigaraki tsubo made centuries ago but what's old (in appearance) is new in creation. made by Tani Seiuemon back in the mid-1990s, this tsubo exhibits all the classic and traditional characteristics of much older pottery with just the right amount of the potter's personal touch to show in the pot. The broad shoulders and animated form show off the right amount of slump caused by the intense wood firing of the original archetype which are skillfully mimicked in this pot to strike a rather natural and antiquated appearance. As mentioned in previous posts, Tani started off studying old Shigaraki pottery before ever making pots and when he did so, he brought his knowledge of all the aesthetics and forms that had preceded and infused it in to his works leaving quite a number of utsushi-mono, copies among his body of work. I have to admit that I really enjoy the naïve and honest qualities that surround this pot; carefully and skillfully created and manipulated to look quite casual and as much a result of the ferocity of the kiln rather than the hands of the potter.

ODDS & ENDS

Today was truly an odds and ends kind of day in the studio starting with getting everything cleaned up and put away after a recent glaze session and kiln firing. Once that was completed, I took the time to pack up several small commissions which didn't take a lot of time but I wanted out of the way. After this and after a quick lunch came the beginning of my throwing day which started with a group of porcelain test cups followed by a number of stoneware test cups and a group of some orders/ commissions which included some 14" serving bowls and a couple of serving plates as well. The day in the studio ended with me decorating up two stoneware teabowls that are orders from half way around the world. I decorated the first one as seen here and have decided to hold the back up just as thrown until the other is bisque, glazed and fired. Always a good idea to have a spare just in case an asteroid or some other calamity hits the studio.

SEMI-LINEAR

Illustrated is another Bizen chawan by Sakikabara Keishi though in this case it is left more or less as it was thrown with the exception of the foot. This Kuro-Bizen style chawan shows some small amount of manipulation creating a form both large and well suited to the hands showing off a rich lustrous surface and a fitting but slightly obtuse kodai. Despite the initial display of simplicity, there is a complex arrangement of texture to the clay and all natural surface with hints of spatula work and some other marks rendered by the potter and a well fired surface of rich diversity. As is abundantly clear, Sakikabara studied with Isezaki Jun in the late 70s and took away well learned lessons as to how best to make use of clay, surface and firing in which he crafted his own unique voice of modern day Bizen. Perhaps the biggest take away from this chawan is a well conceived blend of the old and new while moving in a semi-linear fashion within the Bizen tradition, using the best of both worlds. By putting forward a style influenced by time and archetypes, old and modern Sakikabara Keishi clearly has something new to say and that is locked deep inside a chawan just like this one.     

WELLSPRING

When someone casually mentions the Mino potter, Kato Toyohisa my mind immediately runs a slideshow of pictures of pots with thick, curdled Shino glazes, semi-iridescent Oribe and forms and pieces that are fairly modern in their orientation. This particular large and bold Shino vase has some of those elements infused into its bones and DNA but there are classic, traditional fundamentals at work here which clearly show where the potter and his pots drawn from, that wellspring that is Momoyama and old pottery. The form is encased in a pure white feldspar Shino that is rich in its opacity with hints, bold areas and flashes of iron red bleeding through like brush strokes on an abstract painting's canvas. There is a profusion of strength and nobility in the form and posture of this pot and I hope this short video slideshow captures some of the features that make this a rather alluring pot in person.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngDdCckp444&ab_channel=CABatA3S

WAY BACK WEDNESDAY

I am still making some effort to convert old 35mm slides to digital images with some coming out better than others. This large, Albany slip glazed covered jar was in a recent batch made and fired in the last firing I ever did at Cleveland State University. Thrown loosely, well loosely for me that is, while it was firming up a bit I pulled it to one side to offset the symmetry of the piece. Once bisque the pot was glazed in an Albany slip glaze with a black overglazed sprayed across the surface and swiped diagonally around the piece. I decided to pull this out for way back Wednesday as it clearly defines a short moment in time a really long time ago where everything was an experiment and the less controlled the better. The times sure have changed where now I try to have a group of pots in every kiln that I am 99% certain they will come out as I expect* and control is more or less a good thing though admittedly something of an illusion.  

(*I am reminded of the boxing adage, "everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face in that every potter thinks they know what to expect until they open the kiln.)

HALLOWEEN KORO

It might just be me but I thought this quirky Ki-Seto koro was perfect for a Halloween post. As soon as I first saw this piece I was struck by the interaction of glaze and texture and the outside of the box thinking regarding the cool form and exaggerated lid. This Ki-Seto koro was made by Toki native, Kato Mitsuhide who has exhibited routinely in the region and won several awards along the way as well as having pieces collected for permanent collection. The use of this particular Ki-Seto works hand in glove with this articulated, textural form where it runs for thick to thin and from dryish to wet and works to absolute perfection on the organic looking lid. I could say there are just tons of things that this wonderful pot reminds me of, but that would be a long list and take some time, let it suffice to say that I think it is perfect for Halloween, or any other day for that matter. No matter how many times that I look at this piece it constantly conjures up some emotion or another and it brings a slight smile to my face each and every time. Happy Halloween!  

FWIW I have put up a short Instagram video of this koro, perfect for Halloween; https://www.instagram.com/albedo3studio/

CONSIDERATION

Illustrated is a fairly large thrown, altered, faceted and manipulated "storage jar" made by Michael Simon. Though undecorated, the salt firing has created a soft, blushed sheen to the surface that helps accentuate all of the various lines from those incurred during the throwing process to those created while manipulating the form culminating in the broad faceting showing a spontaneous and sure handed cut. All of the various considerations or decisions  made along the way, achieved over a lifetime of making pots lead to their conclusion in a well conceived, animated and dramatic pot that is about as complicated as a simple pot ever gets.         

Looking at this covered jar it is rather clear that Michael Simon was very considered in making his pots though at the same time he embraces serendipity and spontaneity in their making. He considered the line, form, weight and volume of the various elements that created the aesthetic in clay that he was after consciously and unconsciously. The following is just a glimpse into his thought process as it relates to a good sized storage jar very similar to the piece illustrated;  "This pot began in my mind as a medium-sized storage jar, faceted nine times. The thick clay at the edge of the lid holds a substantial mass similar to the faceted walls of the pot. The profile of lid edge and clay wall unites in one line. Squeezing the bottom into a triangular shape before faceting invites the addition of short legs at the corners. These legs lift the pot and help define its structure. This jar benefits from one facet that resembles the human leg taking a step."  Michael Simon from "MICHAEL SIMON: EVOLUTION.

INSPIRATION, NOT ORIGINS

At first glance I think it would be difficult to see where this Kuro-Oribe covered cap jar came from or should I say more correctly, the inspiration, not origins of the pot. Over  the years I have long admired the sutra containers that I have encountered in various museums being especially fond of Nara period archetypes which in a wandering and not so direct path has lead me to this style of form that I have been making on and off for quite some time. In this particular case, the jar, lid and knob were made out of stoneware and the body of the form was covered, impasto style in a thick slip to create this vivid and animated surface. The knob was made out of a squared and loosely carved log of clay and attached to the lid imitating a type of stupa connecting the piece back to its origins of inspiration. This jar has a dark, Kuro-Oribe style surface that works rather well with the diagonally applied slip creating movement where the glaze is running down the furrows and channels and on the shoulder the iron has built up to create tendrils of effects which run somewhat and feed the tributaries below. I think once it is pointed out it is a bit clearer how this form came to be and though it clearly is intended for some other function these days, any use is fine from holding dry pasta to protecting rolled up documents and just about anything in between.

PARTIAL DEFINITION

Though I realize this is not exactly the best picture I have ever taken it is however the moment well over a decade ago that I realized how much I liked to see pottery partially defined by sunlight and shadows. This particular pot is a Hagi style chawan made by Tsukigata Nahiko in the late 1980s and what is rather clear in this picture is the strong form, controlled lip and distinctly cut kodai. As with many pots and their pictures, this is a chawan I would like to photograph again as this was originally shot with my old Sony Mavica with auto-focus and not a lot of room to be creative or adjust for varying light sources on the fly. At the end of the day, it is what it is photo-wise and that clearly shows off a silhouette of a rather purposeful and robust form from the hands of a master, Tsukigata Nahiko.

HAI-SHINO

Illustrated is a Hai-Shino guinomi that was hand formed and carved by Kowari Tetsuya. What should be immediately apparent and is exactly why I am a fan of Kowari's work is the spontaneous and directness that define much of his work. Pieces are thrown, manipulated, torn, ripped, fluted, carved, reattached in interesting and idiosyncratic ways that make it clear exactly who made the pot you are looking at. This particular guinomi was hand carved out of thick clay to create a generous interior, a highly active lip and an exterior that looks as if it were naturally formed where erosion has created channels down the form that fit the pot perfectly in one's grasp. With iron, ash and feldspar at his disposal, this Hai-Shino guinomi has a rather active and adventurous exterior where the material creates a surface reminiscent of geology at its best. Perhaps the best feature of this guinomi is the posture alluding to motion, a confident and determined swagger where the high points of each flute fills the hand and eye with texture where aesthetics and function collide making for a guinomi that exceeds its base purpose.     

Though perhaps a quote often used and a bit cliché, I thought it quite appropriate; "Definiteness of purpose is the starting point of all achievement."  W. Clement Stone