Tag: 陶芸

The Master in the Redwoods: Pond Farm Pottery and the Legacy of Marguerite Wildenhain

March 20, 2020Ceramics Sonoma County Research

This past February, potter Bill Geisinger drove me to the rustic and eclectic town of Guerneville along the Russian river in Sonoma County in Northern California. During our car ride there, Bill related to me the logging history of Guerneville, the Bohemian Club, and its controversial grove retreat nearby, and soon, I found myself surrounded by the tall magnificent trees inside the Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve.

The majestic Redwood trees of Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve

As a transplant generation Xer, I had not heard of Pond Farm and Marguerite Wildenhain until Bill sent me a Wikipedia link about the farm prior to my visit. Upon reading it, I was excited to find out about this post-Second World War Californian colony for artists and to discover more about Marguerite, who was its resident artist and a Bauhaus-trained master potter.

Marguerite Wildenhain (1896-1985) was an American ceramic artist and educator. She was born in Lyon, France to a father of German descent and an English mother. Marguerite trained at the legendary Bauhaus school in Weimar, Germany from 1919 for 6 years under master potter Max Krehan and sculptor Gerhard Marcks. She emigrated to the U.S. to escape the Nazis with the help of American architect Gordon Herr and his wife Jane who wanted to establish an artist community in California.
(Click here to watch footage of Marguerite Wildenhain by Rollie Younger on YouTube)

Bill and I arrived early to stroll in the splendid redwood forest. As we walked, Bill said that he had wanted to bring me here because he thought Pond Farm would be a source of inspiration. He shared the story about his visit with Marguerite in the 1970s at the urging of his teacher James Lovera to learn how to make handles from her. Bill always surprises me with never-heard-of-before episodes like this in his life. After hearing Bill’s story, I complained that he rarely makes pots with handles these days, to which he laughed and agreed with my observation.

Entrance toThe Pond Farm Pottery in Guerneville, CA

Following our stroll, we visited Pond Farm with Michele Luna, the Executive Director of Stewards of the Coast and Redwoods, who kindly took the time to show us the compound. The Stewards are the managing member of a partnership for the preservation and revitalization of Pond Farm.

“The barn workshop was where Marguerite taught her two-month summer classes every year, and the rest of the year she worked and lived alone in that small cabin,” Michele explained, as she pointed to a house that was closed for viewing due to its dilapidated state. There was also a guesthouse on the compound that Marguerite had built for her teacher from her Bauhaus days, Gerhard Marcks, for his visit to the farm in the 1950s. The guesthouse was recently renovated and is used to host resident artists in the summer.

As I stepped into Marguerite’s barn pottery workshop, I immediately felt I was in a familiar place: a studio built upon the artist’s complete devotion to the craft. Inside the barn, I observed the design of the studio and contemplated the system that Marguerite had developed for teaching to countless students each summer from 1949 to 1980.

Pottery studio of Marguerite Wildenhain at Pond Farm

In the now empty workshop, models of the pottery forms that students learned from Marguerite were still in place. I wondered how closely the classroom was designed to the legendary Bauhaus school where Marguerite had trained under master potters for up to 9 hours each day, 6 days a week, year after year.

After returning from Northern California, I borrowed “The Invisible Core: A Potter’s Life and Thoughts,” written by Marguerite from my local library. She states in the book that many of the students that came to her summer school were college and high school teachers. She writes perceptively that at Pond Farm, “we take great pains in teaching the basic and fundamental elements that go into making a good piece of pottery […] More than that: We have a stimulating exchange of ideas and often really excellent and exciting discussions about art, integrity, human values, life, pots, what it all means, and how they are related, how all these have to fuse in you to one total concept and to form.”

The forms that students practiced in stages during summer class at Pond Farm. Marguerite conducted systematic learning in a traditional master-to-apprentice training environment

The Bauhaus-style kick wheel at Pond Farm

At Pond Farm, I only saw a small kiln inside the barn. So I asked Michele where all of the pots were fired because Marguerite accepted up to 25 students at a time for her summer workshops. Michele explained that none of the work by the students were fired. I was very surprised to hear this because I could not believe that the students were content just to learn how to make pots and not finish making them.

The kiln used by Marguerite Wildenhain at Pond Farm. None of the work by the students that attended summer school were fired.

But after reading Marguerite’s book, I realized that what she taught, and what the students came from all over the country to learn, was not just about how to make pots but also what Marguerite called “the essential requirements that all valuable work need.” These essential requirements consisted of “work, time, patience, effort, and intense devotion and faith in the validity of this purpose.” She called it the “discipline not to betray the requirements of art.”

I told Bill that I found Marguerite’s words compelling and insightful. He agreed and said that “her book was my bible in the 70s.” Over the years, I’ve met and studied many highly regarded artists, and while they all excelled at their craft, most could only teach a very small number of apprentices in their lifetime, if at all. And even with the best of these artists, master-to-apprentice training can be disorganized and mystifying.

The simple cabin where Marguerite Wildenhain resided. The inside cannot be viewed at this time because of its dilapidated state.

Marguerite’s achievements stand out because she was committed to teaching generations of aspiring artists the essential way of life as an artist, and honing of the necessary skills through relentless training like that of apprenticeships. Her teaching took place in a systematic and enlightening environment. If this method originated from the Bauhaus school, it only existed for a handful of years, but Marguerite kept Pond Farm going single-handedly for over 30 years, so her impact cannot be overstated. Her former students, called Pond Farmers, include the likes of Dean Schwarz of South Bear School, and Professor Dorothy Bearnson of University of Utah.

I hope that this blog post will inspire you to learn more about the work of this extraordinary but largely forgotten American master potter and teacher. Marguerite sums up her life’s work in a short statement in her book:

A Marguerite Wildenhain bowl made in the mid-1970s at Pond Farm, Guerneville, California. This stoneware with colored slip, glaze and sgraffito design was acquired by Barbara Brown and kept on display in her home until 2018. At that time Barbara asked Bill Geisinger to take custody of the bowl until it can be displayed to the public at a museum. Barbara is a potter and the international ambassador for the Association of Clay and Glass Artists of California

“My life as a potter has taught me to know the short-lived values of mode and fashion trends, of prizes and “success.” As fleeting as clouds are publicity, fame and limelight, but the good pot will endure through the centuries because of its integrity, its sound and pure purpose, its original beauty, and especially because it is the indivisible, incorruptible, and complete expression of a human being.”

I am not a potter, but wished that I could have met Marguerite to ask about her thoughts on fostering an enduring culture of crafts. In this uncertain time of social distancing with the coronavirus crisis, I found her words comforting and reassuring about my work at Entoten.

Finally, if you can, please help preserve Pond Farm, an important historic site of California’s Armstrong Redwood State Natural Reserve, by visiting the redwood forest, becoming a member, and/or donating to the Stewards of the Coast and Redwoods.

Browse more images of pots made by Marguerite Wildenhain in the Forrest L. Merrill collection

Forrest L. Merrill Collection Website: A History of Pond Farm in Pictures

‘Strawberry Milk’ in a Pinched Rim Bowl by Hanako Nakazato

August 14, 2018Ceramics Hanako Nakazato Food and Craft

Ceramics by Hanako Nakazato will be available in our shop on August 15th at 6:00 am ->

‘Strawberry milk’ in a pinched rim bowlby Hanako Nakazato
(Note: The spoon is an ordinary rounded-bottom variant and not the exotic flat bottom design)

Did you eat ‘strawberry milk’ when you were growing up? It was huge in the 70s in Japan (along with mini-skirts and permed hair), and I begged my mother to buy us the ‘strawberry spoons’ that were perfectly designed to squish the strawberries in the milk with their flat bottoms.

As a little girl, I always believed that “strawberries sprinkled with sugar and squished in milk” was a fancy western way to eat strawberries. But now that I think of it, I’ve never seen anyone eat strawberries in this way in the U.S. or Europe.

According to my parents’ generation, strawberries that first became available to the general public in Japan in the post war Showa era were extremely sour and so the Japanese concocted ‘strawberry milk’ as a way to enjoy this sour fruit.

Eyeing the massive demand for a utensil that efficiently squashed strawberries in milk, the ‘strawberry spoon’ was created in 1960 by Kobayashi Kogyo Co., a cutlery manufacturer in Niigata prefecture, and their ‘Romance’ line of cutlery received the prestigious Good Design Award in 1974. So this company joins the ranks of Japanese titans like Sony and Toyota as the pioneers of Japanese style.

Click here to look at Kobayashi Kogyo’s cutlery catalog. The said spoon is on page. 35, fifth spoon from the bottom in the photo #11617-000 at 850 yen

This marvelous invention lessoned the likelihood of strawberries slipping or flying out of the bowl across the table, which saved the day for a lot of busy Japanese parents.

And the best part is when all the squished strawberries are eaten, you get to drink the sweet strawberry milk straight from the bowl!

A Deeper Connection: Ceramics by Mitch Iburg

July 25, 2018Ceramics Mitch Iburg

Ceramics by Mitch Iburg will be available in our shop from 9:00 a.m. July 25th 2018 ->

What sets the work of Minnesota potter Mitch Iburg apart from his contemporaries is a depth and intensity of effort that is profound but not immediately visible. While most potters begin their work by wedging their purchased clay in the studio, Mitch’s starting point is to go through local geological publications, survey maps, mining databases, and walking the terrain from where he acquires his materials to create his work.

Ash-glazed vessel by Mitch Iburg. By coil-building vessels, Mitch feels that he can add a sense of history through layers, similar to rock formations that document the conditions at the time they were deposited.

Many people might consider that going to such lengths of effort that Mitch does is pointless and conflicts with the more pressing need to be productive and efficient. But luckily Mitch doesn’t think so.

“I research and collect rocks, minerals and clays throughout Minnesota,” Mitch says. He gathers, tests, and prepares the clay all year around, which is at the heart of his work. Maintaining this commitment limits how much can be produced, but Mitch believes that it is crucial to know the origins and history of these resources to keep a strong connection to the natural environment that they came from.

Left: A clay exposure near the Minnesota River. Right: Collecting felspathic sandstone
Photos courtesy of Mitch Iburg

Crude kaolin from the Minnesota River Valley. Photo courtesy of Mitch Iburg

Test tiles made from blends of collected, unprocessed clay. Photo courtesy of Mitch Iburg

Mitch’s path to learning about clay began when he first saw Japanese anagama fired ceramics. “There was so much about them that I couldn’t quite grasp or understand, but I felt a strong, visceral attraction to them that compelled me to study wood firing and ceramics”, Mitch said.

It took a long time for Mitch to comprehend the appeal, but he recalls that, “one day, while working in the studio it finally hit me. I realized that it was like watching a tree swaying in the wind. The wind itself is invisible, but its power and movement become manifested and made visible by the branches and leaves. The vessels were similar to the tree in that they recorded the presence of larger phenomena – the passing of time, alteration of materials by heat, and the enduring life cycle of the Earth.”

Mitch views his ceramic process as a tool for translating the sweeping and often unfathomable phenomena that have shaped our world into something tangible. Personally, I feel that the focused intension and stubbornness of Mitch in his approach allows him to create unparalleled work that speaks to us emotionally.

It also reminds me of the philosophy of tea that Okakura Kakuzo describes in his “The Book of Tea“, which is a “moral geometry, inasmuch as it defines our sense of proportion to the universe.” I feel that Mitch’s lifework is a similar effort to grasp that sense of scale.

Sincere, precious, yet humble, the attraction of Mitch’s work is similar to how I feel about the ancient unglazed pottery made in Japan called Sue ware from the 5^th and 6^th centuries. They were the first non-porous types of ceramics made in Japan, using the technique learned from the more advanced Koreans, who in turn learned it from the Chinese. Perhaps it is because in both Mitch’s work and Sue ware, I feel the earnest joy to create something hard and useful out of something that is soft and brittle found in nature.

In the past six years that I have known Mitch’s work, I have often wondered how long he would be able to continue to make pots in the way that he does. So, it is delightful to see that he has expanded his body of work such as the wheel-thrown tableware that intrinsically preserves a sense of connection to nature while allowing him to use a broader range of materials. He also recently was a recipient of the Jerome Ceramic Artist Project Grant from the Northern Clay Center to re-examine the role of natural materials in the field of ceramic art.

Wheel-thrown tea cups by Mitch Iburg. Creating food-safe vessels require the use of commercial silica and feldspar, but Mitch still researches the parent rock and only introduces materials that are closest to the region.

Mitch says that his development was helped by many of his fellow potters in the wood-fire community, which has forged a special symbiotic relationship between established and emerging artists. He points to artists like John Jessiman in Virginia, Nick Schwartz in California, and Samuel Johnson in Minnesota that have played crucial roles in helping his evolution.

I would like to think that Mitch’s approach is proof that nothing has fundamentally changed since the time of the Sue potters. That efforts that are seemingly invisible make all the difference over time, and from the seeds sown by a community that is willing to work together will emerge trees that will grow and sway in the wind for many generations to come.

Northern Minnesota landscape
Photo courtesy of Mitch Iburg

Mastering Simplicity: Ceramics by Bill Geisinger

July 5, 2017Bill Geisinger Ceramics

Wood-fired ceramics by Bill Geisinger in our shop ->

Ceramic works by Bill Geisinger are a poignant reminder of our love for simplicity, natural materials, and the personal connections that are all too often overlooked in this instant technology-driven world.

A simple vase made by Bill Geisinger with beautiful natural ash landscapes

Bill’s works are made using local clay that he dug up himself and fired using eucalyptus wood in his beautiful off-the-beaten track studio and kiln in Sabastopol, California. The fallen ash on the earthy surface of the clay creates exquisite natural landscapes that are surprising and mysteriously captivating.

Over 40 years ago when Bill was an aspiring painter and art student, he visited San Jose State University’s ceramics studio and became enthralled by the tactility of clay and its unique ability to connect with our lives. He went on to study under Professor James Lovera and Harry Nakamoto, who was his teaching assistant at that time. One day in class, Harry showed a film called “The Potters of Japan” by Richard and Marj Peeler. The sound and images reminded Bill of his days growing up in Japan in the early 1960s. “Maybe this was the beginning when I became a potter” Bill muses.

Potter Bill Geisinger’s rustic kiln and studio in Sabastopol California

So began Bill’s life-long love affair with clay that continues to the present day. Bill was hired to establish the clay department at De Anza College, which also played a big role in shaping his growth as an artist as he points out that “there was continual interaction to learn and grow from the many visiting artists and the students themselves.”

As an addition to his learning, Bill also regularly takes groups of people who are deeply interested in Japanese ceramics over to Japan to visit with local potters. In the past few years, I have traveled with the group as its interpreter and on each trip, we visit over 15 potters in various regions.

Bill discussing firing techniques with Japanese potter Kohara Yasuhiro in Shigaraki, Japan

Bill must have visited over a hundred Japanese potters by now, and I am amazed at how his love of the material and process continues to keep him curious and intensely interested in what others do. He says that he is most fascinated by how they work, generate ideas, and motivate themselves.

Bill aims to create work that is quiet, simple, useful, and that has a meaningful connection to nature. To me, it is notable that a potter like Bill who has seen so many alternative processes and techniques tested by others wants to create ‘simple’ work using traditional methods.

Bill introducing charcoal to his kiln at the last stage of firing. Charcoal increases the temperature and deprives oxygen, causing the clay surfaces to reduce. Bill says it is his way to add “touch” to his work, because reduction changes the texture and color

In a world where 3D printers can create complex and fascinating ceramic forms from your imagination, and kilns can be controlled to exacting temperatures with a computer, what is the significance of digging up clay and chopping wood to fire for 4 days in a self-built kiln? Simplicity is a concept that is seemingly easy to understand but remarkably difficult to practice these days.

Two small vases by Bill Geisinger that accidentally fused together during firing

Perhaps the significance lies in the fact that any vessel can hold water, but a quiet vessel made using natural materials and with attention to the process provides us with space and allows us to dream. Like the time when I looked at Bill’s vase and imagined how the ashes flew around in the hot kiln. Or another time when I felt inspired to put a flower bud in the vase and self-reflect, or invited friends and prepared some tea. Because even in this age where the Internet is always within reach, our most important connection to beauty is personal and emotional.

Balancing Design with Usability: Blue-and-White Pottery by Watanabe Ai

January 26, 2016Ceramics Watanabe Ai

People often ask us how Studio KotoKoto decide on which potters to work with, and the first thing that springs to mind is that we work with makers who create vessels that inspire use. It also doesn’t hurt if they share the same attractive names as us.

So when I saw Watanabe Ai’s blue-and-white pottery, I immediately imagined all kinds of appetizers and snacks served on her lovely plates on top of my dining table. Simple everyday objects like onions, gourds, and flowers inspire Watanabe-san, who was educated as a designer at University of Tsukuba’s School of Art and Design.

Blue-and-White cups by Japanese potter Watanabe Ai. She gets inspiration from everyday objects — Blue-and-White cups by Japanese potter Watanabe Ai. She gets inspiration from simple everyday objects.

She is quick to emphasize, though, that the most important element in making is to balance design with usability. “Pursuing the look makes pots too expensive or uncomfortable for use”, she believes, and “an effusive work is remarkably difficult to be accommodated into people’s lives.” Her creations are true to this philosophy, and bold as the patterns may seem, they enhance and do not get in the way of the food they carry.

Balancing design with usability is of utmost importance to Watanabe Ai. The bold design does not get in the way of food but becomes an enhancing background.

“The brilliance of colors that I saw when I traveled in Asia, Turkey and England as a student really stuck with me, and I feel that it is coming out in my work,” Watanabe-san says. Certainly, the use of a single vivid shade of blue gives her work a distinct modern look, since the vast majority of Japanese blue-and-white pottery makers employ different shades of blue that gives them a more traditional look.

Modern look — Watanabe Ai painting onions on a cup. The use of a single vivid shade of blue gives her work a distinct modern look.

After graduating from university, Watanabe-san initially worked for a toy trading company where she honed her skills in design through creating catalogs and 2D advertising. “I worked to sell things but I aspired to create things with my own hands,” she reflected.

While visiting craft shows, she was motivated to become a potter because pottery-making seemed to allow for so much freedom in colors and shapes. So she left her stable job and went to study pottery at Seto Pottery Senior High School in Aichi prefecture.

Watanabe Ai of kikakikaku showing work at a craft show in Japan. She was inspired to become a potter while visiting a craft show. — Watanabe Ai of *Kikakikaku* showing her work at a 2015 craft show in Japan. She was inspired to become a potter while visiting craft shows.

When I met Watanabe-san in the spring of 2015, it had only been a year since she established a pottery business called Kikakikaku with her husband Murayama Takumi, who provides sales and production support. I remember being amazed that she was showing her work at a juried craft show alongside experienced and well-known makers.

Just last month, Kikakikaku moved into an old house that used to be a hair salon and is currently in the process of being converted into a studio. Their plan is to have a mini-gallery adjacent to the studio, just like many potters do in Japan. “That’s our dream, and for us to make a living by making pottery”, Watanabe-san says.

New studio — The new pottery studio and kiln of *Kikakikaku* in Odawara city in Kanagawa prefecture. In the photo, Murayama-san is converting what used to be an old hair salon into the pottery studio.

She is eager to gain more experience and develop more techniques to create wares as close to what she has visualized while she is making them. “Pots warp and shrink, and the colors of the stain and texture of the glaze turn out differently depending on the temperature and density of the kiln”, Watanabe-san explains.

the color depends — Photos of pots before and after firing in a kiln. Watanabe-san is eager to build up her experiences and techniques so that her completed pots have the desired colors and consistency of glaze.

Watanabe-san’s enthusiasm and sensibility for design are purely reflected in the work that she makes. She chuckles that recently she has been drawing lots and lots of onions, but “I have so many motifs swirling in my head that I want to put onto my vessels.”

We are excited to introduce these creative works of Watanabe Ai to the U.S. and cannot wait to see innovative new works coming out of this young and talented potter’s kiln in the future.

Transcending Time and Borders: Slipware by Japanese Potter Kubota Kenji

November 20, 2015Ceramics Kubota Kenji

Slipware by Kubota Kenji in our shop->

Just over a century ago, Yanagi Muneyoshi, the father of the Mingei movement, and potter Tomimoto Kenkichi discovered the fittingly titled book, “Quaint Old English Pottery” written by Charles Lomax. They were, to use an elegant English term, flabbergasted by the beautiful slipware of Thomas Toft that was featured in the book and this sparked considerable interest within the Mingei movement as to what the English had to offer.

Subsequently, English slipware made for daily use by anonymous craftsmen in the 18^th and 19^th centuries was introduced into Japan by the English potter Bernard Leach and mingei potter Hamada Shoji. These wares had a profound influence on Japanese makers and the Japanese crafts world.

That influence continues to be felt among Japanese potters today, and none more so than Kubota Kenji who makes slipware for daily use in the famous pottery town of Mashiko. I first encountered Kubota-san’s work while walking through Mashiko’s high street.

Kubota Kenji Plate — Dinner plate with arabesque slip-trail decoration in caramel glaze by Kubota Kenji. His work is not only pleasant to look at but also fun to touch.

I was instantly attracted to the bright and sophisticated air that his work radiated, despite the traditional cream and brown colors that sometimes has the tendency to give a dark feeling to the pottery. “I want to create wares that are cheerful on the table as well as fun to touch and look at,” Kubota-san says. His slipware pots are full of warmth and delightful to hold.

Coffee dripper set by Kubota Kenji — Coffee pourover set by Kubota Kenji

This unassuming potter claims that he decided to become a maker while walking through Mashiko as an art theory student. “There were so many young potters and they seemed to be having great fun”, he recalls. He jumped in and a decade flew by while he learnt to enjoy the challenges of creating pots.

Many types of slip by Kubota Kenji — Many types of slip are created using native clay from Mashiko and tested for the best effect (photo courtesy of Kubota Kenji)

Kubota-san’s pots are rigorously designed to be functional. Once this deep thinker decides on a design, he is able to master and repeat this design skillfully. The skill comes from his seven years of training as an apprentice at large pottery kilns in Mashiko before he established his own studio and kiln in 2011.

Kubota Kenji Mashiko — A well finished foot is not only beautiful but functional, making the plate easy to hold and handle. (photo courtesy of Kubota Kenji)

Kubota-san’s work involves a slipware technique called slip trailing, which uses clay diluted with water to a creamy consistency to make surface decorations by using a dispenser. It is a technique that requires extensive practice because once a line is drawn it cannot be erased. The seemingly easy and pleasantly flowing contours are a result of a rhythm achieved through constant repetition.

Kubota Kenji slip-trailing — Kubota Kenji using a dispenser to slip-trail (photo courtesy of Kubota Kenji)

The most notable aspect of Kubota-san’s work is that at first glance it appears Western, yet a closer look shows there is a distinct Asian flair. Kubota-san likes to look at textiles and paintings to get inspiration and indeed his work is a unique combination of traditional slipware technique with sensibilities that are reminiscent of Japanese stencil textile designs and patterns.

Mini rimmed plates by Kubota Kenji are designed to have sufficient depth for versatility. — Mini-rimmed plates by Kubota Kenji with sensibilities reminiscent of Japanese stencil textile designs and patterns

Kubota-san’s contemporary work is also symbolic of the unique influence that English slipware has had on Japanese craft, which was absorbed and reabsorbed by Japanese makers over the years and continuously brought into the daily lives of people.

I am pretty sure that the Georgian era English slipware craftsmen never imagined that their legacy would be alive and thriving in East Asia today, but if they knew I think that they’d be pleased and celebrate with a cuppa or more likely a pint.

Faithful Objects: Pottery by Kenneth Pincus

September 22, 2015Ceramics Kenneth Pincus

Pottery by Kenneth Pincus in our shop ->

Kenneth Pincus has been throwing, trimming, glazing and firing pottery for a long time. Reflecting on a career that has spanned two continents, Kenneth says that, “From the very beginning, pottery focused my mind and drew me in like few other activities.”

Potter Kenneth Pincus at a kick wheel in his studio in Oregon — Kenneth Pincus working at his pottery studio in Oregon
(Photo courtesy of Kenneth Pincus)

As a young Chinese Studies student at the University of California Santa Cruz in the early 1970s, Kenneth struggled to find his place in the world. But he soon discovered the world of clay and began learning pottery under Al Johnsen. This was the beginning of his fascination with the great pottery traditions of East Asia, which continues to the present day.

After graduation, Kenneth traveled to Taiwan to continue his study of Chinese and pottery. He subsequently returned to the U.S and began working out of a small pottery studio in Venice in Southern California. A series of events followed, including meeting his Japanese wife Hiroko Ozawa and learning Japanese, that led him to Japan where he got to know Yoshida Yoshihiko, a master potter in Gifu prefecture.

Tenmoku-Ovoid — Exquisite tenmoku glazed large ovoid bowl by Kenneth Pincus

Kenneth recalls that, “Among the dozens and dozens of potters that I had met in Tajimi, Yoshida seemed especially open-minded and rock-solid serious at the same time, and for me this seemed like a breath of fresh air.” So Kenneth began an apprenticeship with Yoshida in the mid-1980s that lasted almost three years.

Yoshida is well known in Japan for his understated yet outstandingly beautiful work that is full of life and warmth. Yoshida taught Kenneth not to force things in his work or go to an extreme just to gain attention. While many potters aim to be original, Yoshida’s philosophy is that merely unusual work is nothing exceptional.

Wooden trimming knives that Kenneth learned to make from Yoshida. These knives are all handmade out of local wood and gives a distinct look to the trimmed clay surface. To Kenneth, using these wooden knives makes trimming a joyous challenge rather than a chore.
(Photo courtesy of Kenneth Pincus)

Most importantly for Kenneth, the time with Yoshida was a spiritual preparation in which being open-minded became an instinctive way of thinking and this helped him to find his own way in clay. An example of such a learning episode was when Kenneth asked Yoshida’s opinion about the leaf form plates he often saw in shops and galleries around Tajimi during his apprenticeship. Kenneth asked what Yoshida thought about copying leaf forms in clay, some of which were direct copies. Yoshida replied, “sure, it is fine to copy a leaf form if that is what you want, but it is far better to copy the life force that produced that form and incorporate that into your work.”

Trim-texture — Kenneth trimming a foot on a tea bowl. The distinct texture left on the clay is visible.
(Photo courtesy of Kenneth Pincus)

Three decades on, Kenneth is still fully engaged with clay and approaches it each time with the eagerness and fresh eyes of a child. Most of Kenneth’s small pots are created on a kick-wheel by throwing off-the-hump, while his larger pieces are made on an electric wheel. He works in 1-2 month cycles of forming, throwing and trimming and then glazing and firing. At the start of every cycle, Kenneth cleans the studio, which is a meditative task that helps him to focus. By the time he sits at the wheel, he knows what form he is after.

Kenneth uses both gas and wood kilns. His wood-fired kiln is fired 2-3 times a year using a variety of wood from the local area: big leaf maple, Douglas fir, pine, alder, and different types of harder woods like cherry or oak. Even though it is hard work, wood-firing is rewarding for Kenneth because it inspires him to grow and be more adventurous with the clay. “There is always a balance between control and freedom, and the wood firing adds a big helping of the unexpected to my often limited efforts, and for this I am very thankful.” He also enjoys the special bond that the wood-firing process brings between the local potters because its preparation demands collaboration.

Ken Pincus' wood-firing kiln in the Skyline area of North West Oregon — Kenneth Pincus’ wood-firing kiln in the Skyline area of North West Oregon.
Each firing lasts about 36 hours with 4 people working in half-day shifts.
(Photo courtesy of Kenneth Pincus)

At first glance, Kenneth’s work might seem simple, but under its quiet surface there is so much vigor that invites the pieces to be picked up. “The crucial factor for me is that the clay is not overworked, that I throw the piece to the size and thickness it needs to be, and then stop. This is to say it’s important to know when to end the throwing as too much touching causes the form to lose its buoyancy and freshness” Kenneth observes.

Wood-fired rice bowl by Kenneth Pincus. The flared shape has an air of sophistication and allows the bowl to be of multi-use. It also is easier to eat from.

To me, what is so remarkable about Kenneth’s work is its energizing directness. Be it a rice bowl or a cup, Kenneth’s pots are born to be used and they are alive with healthy beauty.

Making matcha in a wood-fired kiseto tea bowl by Kenneth Pincus is pure delight. The bowl is well-balanced and lovely to hold.

Kenneth’s long time friend and potter Bill Geisinger remarked that, “I use Ken’s pots everyday. They are finely crafted with unique character that add beauty to my life!” My husband, who cares very little about pottery, uses Kenneth’s rice bowl everyday at dinner because “it feels good to eat from it”.

Kenneth says he is thankful for his life as a potter, for the chance to play and to work hard. We are very fortunate that there is a potter like Kenneth Pincus creating beautiful work that can be interwoven with our practical lives, and become our true and constant companions.

Hoshino Gen: The Elemental Expression of Beauty

September 23, 2014Ceramics Hoshino Gen

Celadon work by Hoshino Gen in our shop ->

The celadon work by Japanese potter Hoshino Gen offers distinct pleasures. Each piece is a masterful balance of movement and stillness, and presence and emptiness, and the effect is both powerful and meditative. The feeling is perhaps closest to what one may experience in a Japanese rock garden or karesansui.

Large square slip celadon plate by Hoshino Gen

When I came upon an image of his work on the Internet, it had a profound impact and I began to look for an opportunity to see Hoshino-san and his ceramics in person. When I found out that he was taking part in the Tajimi Creator’s Market during my spring visit to Japan, I made a long trek to Tajimi, which is near Nagoya in the middle of Japan. Hoshino-san was warm and soft-spoken, and his work was absolutely entrancing in person. I was very excited when he later agreed to work with us.

Japanese ceramic artist Hoshino Gen at his studio in Shiga, Japan
(Photo courtesy of Hoshino Gen)

Hoshino-san’s work expresses the beauty of slip, a watered down form of clay in its muddy state. In 2009, when he was adding the thickened slip from an old bucket to a new one, he noticed that the soft clay showed lines like water ripples and was excited by its beauty. “I became infatuated with slip and wanted to share its expression in my work”, he recalls.

It was also around that time that he decided to switch to functional ceramics instead of sculptures that he had been making for nearly a decade after graduating from Tajimi City Pottery Design and Technical Center or Ishoken. From Hoshino-san’s powerful and emotional work, it is clear that he still draws from his studies in sculpture as well as from his childhood exposure to the sculptural ceramic works of his well-known artist parents.

Slip expressions on the plates. — Simple and elegant. Hoshino-san’s work is suggestive of nature.

Hoshino-san creates work by pouring thick slip into a plaster mold. When the slip dries to the texture of mud, he uses various spatulas by hand to scoop out excess slip in swiping motions. The marks left in the slip becomes the decoration for the vessel.

“The slip shows a variety of expressions depending on the amount of water in the clay”, Hoshino-san observes. Slip is also affected by the humidity and the general condition of the plaster mold, so he adds sodium silicate or waterglass in the slip to carefully create the ideal texture. He says that the slip allows him to understand the precise relationship between clay and water, and controlling its texture is the most difficult aspect of his work.

Hoshino-san preparing porcelain slip at his studio.
(Photo courtesy of Hoshino Gen)

The celadon glaze is also notoriously difficult to fire because the glaze only turns blue when there is sufficient thickness and fired to a high temperature in reduction. The thick coat of glaze can also drip or crawl easily. But the rare attraction of Hoshino-san’s work is enhanced by the choice of this glaze, which is traditionally associated with symmetric, pristine designs. The effect of combining celadon with the irregular, asymmetric design of Hoshino-san’s vessels is stunning, conjuring sand dunes or ripples in shallow flowing water.

Spatulas and a hand-broom used for scooping to create the decorations on his work. Each spatula is of different hardness. — Spatulas and a hand-broom used for scooping to create the decorations of Hoshino-san’s work. Each spatula is of different hardness.
(Photo courtesy of Hoshino Gen)

Right now his crush on slip continues, but his fascination extends to dryer forms of clay. “I’m curious about the expressions of earth and rock”, he muses. “I create work by stopping these beautiful expressions in time by adding heat to them. I feel joy in creating objects that remind us of the grace that nature brings”.

Hoshino-san’s work is a combination of passion, mastery of various techniques, and a unique creative approach. He is active internationally and has worked as a guest artist at Tainan National University of the Arts in Taiwan and participated in art events abroad, most recently in Finland and Czech Republic. We are excited to watch how this talented potter continues his artistic journey.

A Tour of the Pottery Towns of Southern Japan: Part I: Karatsu

April 23, 2013Ceramics Karatsu Travels

Karatsuware in our shop ->

As the cherry blossom season beckoned in Japan this spring, I had a wonderful opportunity to travel to Southern Japan to be the interpreter for a tour of classic pottery towns organized by renowned American potters Bill Geisinger and Ben Horiuchi. It was a fascinating 10 day journey that covered a lot of ground and allowed the tour participants to meet and see the activities and lives of potters from all walks of life in Southern Japan. I will be sharing my observations of these towns and the accomplished potters that have made this part of Japan a vibrant and dynamic center of pottery creativity in this blog in the coming weeks.

The first stop of the tour was Karatsu in Saga prefecture. Karatsu is one of the most famous pottery towns in Japan and its name literally means “port to Tang (China)”. This is fitting, as the town has been a major trading port to Korea, China, and the rest of Japan.

The development of Karatsu-ware began more than 400 years ago. A key reason for this was the arrival of craftsmen from Korea brought by Japanese warlords following two invasions of Korea in the 16^th Century. These potters produced ware for tea ceremonies that were very popular among the Japanese elites during this period.

Chosen Karatsu — An example of “Korean style karatsu” or “chosen karatsu” vase welcomed us at the Nakazato Tarouemon studio.

The Korean craftsmen brought with them two technologies that revolutionized Japanese pottery making: the kick-wheel, and the multi-chambered climbing kiln. These technologies allowed for faster and larger scale pottery production in comparison to the hand-wheel and Anagama kiln that was used in Japan prior to this technological revolution.

Ochawangama — The multi-chambered climbing kiln of Nakazato Tarouemon pottery built in 1734. This kiln was in use until the early 1900s.
(Photo courtesy of Beorn Johnson)

Karatsu-ware or Karatsuyaki, is made of clay high in iron content that fires to a reddish-gray color and encompasses many styles. The styles that I am most familiar with are ‘picture karatsu’ or ‘e-karatsu’, which have simple drawings of plants and birds, and Korean style karatsu or ‘chosen karatsu’ that has a black glaze with runny white ash glaze over it.

Many Japanese, including myself, find that simplicity is more appealing than glitter and complexity, because one can only understand the beauty of simplicity through experience and the steady accumulation of knowledge. It is a very personal appeal that is nurtured and intensified over time and repeated use. It is similar to the sentiment you will have towards your favorite t-shirt or tea mug that is so comfortable because you have used it over the years.

Karatsu-ware today is sought-after by avid collectors and formal tea drinkers for their simple and rustic elegance. Although I am not very familiar with the formal way of Japanese tea ceremonies, even I know the Japanese saying, “Raku first, Hagi second, Karatsu third”, which denotes the rank order of the three preferred types of pottery used in Japanese tea ceremonies. But some of my Japanese friends who are knowledgeable about tea ceremonies say that they are most drawn to Karatsu-ware.

Paddle tools used to slap the coil built vessel walls. This method is called tataki giho. — Paddle tools used to slap the coil built vessel walls at the Nakazato Tarouemon studio. This clay forming method is called “tataki giho”, a traditional method that was lost but revived by the late living national treasure, Nakazato Tarouemon XII.

In Karatsu, I was especially excited to visit the Nakazato family kilns. The Nakazato name should be well known to anyone who regularly visits the Studio Kotokoto website because of Hanako Nakazato, who is one of our most talented artists. The Nakazato family has resided in Karatsu for the past four centuries and they include famous potters such as Nakazato Tarouemon, Nakazato Takashi and Nakazato Shigetoshi who are all relatives of Hanako. It was my private mission to get a glimpse of where Hanako came from to gain an appreciation of the traditions and lifestyle that have shaped her and her style of pottery.

Petal-edged or rinka plates at Nakazato Shigetoshi's Sangengama. — “Petal-edged” or “rinka” plates at Nakazato Shigetoshi’s Sangengama.

The sturdy, unpretentious beauty of Karatsu-ware profoundly moved me. I felt very familiar with their time-tested and functional forms because I have witnessed their essence in Hanako’s work.

Bob Okazaki's beautiful studio was built in the traditional Japanese style without nails — Bob Okasaki’s beautiful studio was built in the traditional Japanese style without nails

Another potter we visited in Karatsu was Bob Okasaki, who is a native of California but is now settled in Karatsu. Bob opened his own kiln called Tourigama after many years of apprenticeships under Fujiwara Yu, a famous potter in Bizen, followed by Nakazato Takashi, Hanako’s father, and Nakazato Tarouemon XII, who was a living national treasure.

I love what Bob does because he has so many beautiful works adorned with drawings of animals and plants. Bob and the Nakazato family are very close because he married Keiko, a daughter of Nakazato Tarouemon XII. Hanako, who was busy loading a kiln for a show in Tokyo, stopped by at Bob’s studio and I was happy that I got to meet her to say hello.

Bob Okazaki Urinbo — Baby boar plate by Bob Okazaki.

The tour group had a wonderful time in Karatsu, a town in a remote corner of Japan but with a very open and international feel to it. This undoubtedly stems from the town’s proximity to Korea and China, which makes it an important regional cultural gateway.

In my next tour blog, I will talk about our visit to Onta, a pottery village hidden in the deep mountains of Oita.

Roasted Butternut Squash and Apple Soup Served in a Ribbed Cup Made by Hanako Nakazato

September 29, 2012Hanako Nakazato Food and Craft

Autumn is here and that means butternut squash and apple season has arrived! As the temperature drops (even in Southern California), I start to crave hearty hot soups and so decided to make a delicious soup with these seasonal ingredients and share the recipe with you.

When serving a meal with several courses, I like to serve soups in small vessels so that the guests have plenty of appetite left for the rest of the dishes. Hanako’s ribbed cup (or shinogi sobachoko) carries about 6 oz of soup per cup and is the perfect ‘goldilocks’ solution: not too little and not too much.

Don’t forget to put on your favorite music before you start cooking!

Roasted Butternut Squash and Apple Soup

Makes about 48 oz (about 8 x 6 oz servings)

Roasted butternut squash and apple soup served in a ribbed cup made by Hanako Nakazato

Ingredients

Butternut squash, diced 2 lb (approximately 1 butternut quash)
Granny smith apple, diced 8 oz (approximately 1 apple)
Yellow onion, small diced 8 oz
Garlic, chopped 1 clove
Chicken stock 1 quart + 1-2 cups
Nutmeg pinch
Olive oil 2 tbsp and as needed
Bay leaf 1 each
Salt and Pepper TT

Garnish

Leftover bread, small dice ½ cup
Parsley, chopped fine 2 tbsp
Granny Smith apple, thinly sliced 16 slices

Preheat the oven to 350F.
Dice the butternut squash and apple into even cubes and toss in olive oil. Roast in the oven until cooked and lightly browned.
While the squash is roasting, chop the parsley and make the croutons. Use small diced bread and coat in olive oil or melted clarified butter and toast in the oven until nice and crunchy. Remove from oven.
Remove the squash and apple when done, and turn down the oven heat to 300F.
Slice the apple in single layer and lay flat on a baking sheet with parchment paper. Put in the oven and roast until they become dry, crispy and lightly brown.
Turn off the oven and place the cups inside to warm with residual heat.
Heat the olive oil in a saucepan and sweat the onion and garlic.

8. Add the roasted squash and apple and 1 quart of chicken stop. Bring to a simmer and add the bay leaf and cook until the squash and apple are soft.

9. Remove the bay leaf, puree the mixture in a blender, strain through a chinois.

10. Add the remaining chicken stock until the soup is at the preferred consistency, bring to a simmer, add nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste.

11. Pour the soup in the ribbed cup and garnish with croutons and chopped parsley. Place the apple chips on the side.

Bon Appétit!