Under Foot and Hand

I went hiking twice in the last four months.  First, in the eastern mountains that border Kyoto City, and second, in the Adirondack Mountains of northern New York State.  On both occasions rain and cloud cover prevented views from any summit.  For me it is typically the panorama that motivates these long hikes.  As a result I was much more focused on the path itself, consequently finding a vein of clay along the trail in the eastern mountains of Kyoto. The ceramic pieces below are made from that mountain clay.  The Adirondack Mountain hike yielded no clay, and no black bear encounters. The trade-off was a fair one.

A friend of mine in Kyoto composed this first image from the lid of a cylindrical clay box I gave her as a gift.  Image number two is of a rock garden at one of Kyoto's oldest Zen temples, Kennin-ji (1202 CE).  The third image is a globular vase I threw on the potter's wheel.  Not knowing the firing range of this mountain clay, it was interesting to find it tolerated a kiln temperature of 2300 degrees fahrenheit, yielding a rich, iron-red hue.  The miniature blue 'paths' were created by dotting pure cobalt oxide on the raw clay.  The species of bird in the first image is unknown.

A Porcelain Army and Studio Guard

These lidded porcelain vessels with cobalt blue porcelain inlay recently came out of my kiln in Kyoto, and quickly boarded a trans-Pacific flight via the Japan Postal Service.  If you ever stay at one of the Villas at The MGM Grand in Las Vegas you are likely to see these.  Barney, below, made sure the creative process stayed on schedule and was free from interruptions.  Consequently, he also crossed the Pacific in the belly of a 747 eight months prior, on route to Japan from New York City.  His work at our new Kyoto studio marks his third tour of duty as chief studio guard.  Keep up the good work Pup.

A River for Inspiration

'Line' is the predominant focus of my work.  Usually, I strive to create a symmetrical line from the foot to the lip of my decorative vessels.  These new forms explore the means of creating an asymmetrical vessel form, while producing a fluid line along the lip of the piece. The flow of water on the Kamogawa (river) in Kyoto reinforced this for me, and inspired the work below.  There are small waterfalls along the river, and just before the water breaks over the edge of each falls, the water is 'pulled' into a fast, curving, unbroken line.   The cobalt blue inlay line along the lip of the larger two vessels is a tribute to this beautiful and subtle attribute of the river.  The second image illustrates the water flow of the Kamogawa at twilight.

A Thread Connecting New York City and Kyoto

From New York City, I arrived in Kyoto, Japan's cultural capital. The past 10 months were spent setting up a base in Kyoto from which to explore and create new ceramic work.  I made this move along with my wife who is working as an art conservator, and my dog Barney (German Shepard Mix).  I set up a pottery studio in our home and am creating new work, while absorbing all that Japan has to offer from its many living cultural and craft traditions.  I am working with a beautiful white porcelain from Japan's southern island, Kyushu.  This is a very unique material, so different from anything available in the West.  As I approach my first year in Japan I believe material will play a large role in the work I make in my second year.  As always, I will move forward with my continuing goal of being influenced by other's work and the local natural surroundings, while striving to make something I can call my own.