As a ceramic artist, every so often, I find myself feeling a pang of envy for those in the performing arts. I was lucky to attend two amazing performances last week in Kyoto. One was a musical duet by German musicians, Ulrike Haage (piano) and Eric Schaefer (percussion/drums). The second was by Japanese dancer Yuka Saeki. The performances were raw and spontaneous, and for me had more to do with what they made me feel, than the sound or movement. Can a piece of pottery, or any visual art for that matter, evoke the same intensity of feeling? This is something I will be pondering as the year comes to a close.

Image #1 shows me in the early stages of throwing a pot. Image #2 is Yuka Saeki during her performance last week. She is a member of Japanese dance troupe The Monochrome Circus, www.monochromecircus.com . Image #3 shows ceramic drums that were played by Eric Schaefer this past week. The drums were made by Japanese ceramic artist Takatsukasa Shinozaki, art.dvoi.com/articles/112/ancient-echoes/#.UMb4SaXGdvB .