Catalog: Artists: Ceramics: Pottery (134)

A beautiful example of modern Bizen-ware—with a thick feldspar glaze partially covering the clay body allowing the natural ash glaze underneath to show through in areas. This piece along with others by the same artist tend to push the bounds of what you usually see in Bizen pottery.

The craftsman who made this piece, Takahiro Ishii, was born in Tokyo, and, after studying ceramics for a number of years, he moved to Bizen to become a ceramics teacher and later opened his own kiln...

Being based in Kyoto we occasionally come across fine Chinese and Korean tea-ware to mix in with our Japanese offerings. Here we have an example of a ceremonial tea bowl by a Korean potter Ji Sun Tak who dedicated his life to reviving ancient techniques of the past by excavating and documentation of a number of historic kiln sites on the Korean Peninsula...

A powerful work of Shino pottery by one of the veterans of Mino ceramics. Vibrant lines of white feldspar contrast sharply with the iron rich clay and glaze to bring out this abstract depiction of field grasses swaying in the breeze. The technique used to produce this work is over 400 years old and was nearly lost to the ages before being revived by several well-known artists in the mid-20th century...

A beautiful example of Shigaraki pottery—the result of techniques perfected over centuries by dedicated artisans residing in the provinces east of Kyoto. This piece, made by master potter Sugimoto Sadamitsu, achieves a kind of asymmetrical balance of both form and color, displaying classic Shigaraki markings of emerald green, red ochre, and pale ash.

Sugimoto (b. 1935) is one of the most important Shigaraki potters alive today and continues to create master works into his old age...

A traditionally crafted Bizen sake cup with a rich mineral glaze giving this guinomi a metallic look. The craftsman who made this piece, Takahiro Ishii, was born in Tokyo in 1977, and, after studying ceramics for a number of years, he moved to Bizen to become a ceramics teacher and later opened his own kiln. He takes a philosophic approach to his work as evidenced by the following quote, “As a ceramicist, I feel that the point is not just to produce pieces...

Described on the wood box as a tokkuri (sake flask) with kin-kousai (metallic Iris) glaze, the size and form would allow this piece to function just as well as a small flower vase...

This elegant and mature work of Karatsu pottery has an unglazed foot and beautiful crackled glazing that displays hues ranging from ivory to almond.

Toya Inoue (1942 - ) is a native of the world-renowned pottery center of Karatsu in Saga prefecture. From a young age he was interested in tea and tea-ware and studied tea ceremony under Tansai. Later in his 20’s he was involved in a project to restore ancient kilns...

A highly original work by Iga potter Nakata Atsushi. The description on the box reads “Mentori Chawan” in this case “men” meaning side, or edge, and “tori” meaning to shear off, or to remove. The name describes how various surfaces of the tea bowl have been shaved off at angles to create this compelling form...

Mountain tea bowls (yama-jawan) are commonly excavated from the hillsides of Japan and many date to the 12th century or earlier. They tend to be crude in construction but with a fascinating ruggedness that allows then to endure, often much better than contemporary ceramics, despite being buried in the earth for hundreds of years. Highly prized when found completely intact or with minor cracks, there is a sort of folklore and mystique that has built up around these objects...

Imagine the vista of iconic Mount Fuji as you enjoy a cup of matcha from this very special tea bowl...

This extraordinary mizusashi is a fine example of Oni Shino (carbon trap and natural ash glazing) that Tsukigata is so well-known for. Coining the term in the mid-50’s after countless failed experiments—which ultimately culminated in the discovery of this unique style of pottery—“Oni” translates roughly to demon or ogre...

This depiction of the eternal “ensō” on a backdrop of pearly white feldspar signifies enlightenment, the eternal, the nothingness, and the freedom of the mind to envision and to create...

The distinctive and easily recognizable style of Bizen pieces, such as the one featured here, originated in Okayama (south-western Japan) and has a long history that is closely intertwined with that of tea culture. Bizen-ware is known for employing a natural-ash glazing technique that is unique to this type of pottery and which requires extremely long firing times (7-14 days) at very high temperatures. This means that constant attention is required to ensure good results...

Closely resembling a historically important tea bowl made by one of the forebears of the art of tea and Raku pottery, Chojiro, this piece gives one a sense of the deep origins of tea culture.

Fired in the kilns of one of Kyoto’s best known Raku-yaki potters, Sasaki Shoraku III (1944-). The Shoraku line began when the grandfather of the current potter established a kiln near the famous Kiyomizu temple, nestled at the foot of the eastern mountains in Kyoto...

Not so often in the world of Japanese tea-ware do you come across something so exquisitely novel that it resists categorization in terms traditional styles. This tea bowl by young artist Suzuki Taku is one such piece with a unique glazing technique known as “kuro-sabi,” which roughly translates into English as “black oxidation coloring.” Utilizing a process where sections of the copper glazed vessel are treated with sulfuric acid, the result is a dazzling and varied palette of rich metal...

The artist who produced this piece, Wataru Motomura, prides himself in living a traditional life in the eastern hills of Kyoto—long known for its rich clay and idyllic pastoral lands. Though the form of this vessel appears innovative and playful, the techniques and materials used to produce it have been around for many hundreds of years. Taking inspiration from the varied pottery traditions of his native Hyogo, Motomura is also known to use clay and methods from the Shigaraki region and many o...

The colors seen in this ceramic piece are not often encountered in the world of Japanese tea-ware pottery—a field dominated mainly by styles such as Raku, Hagi, and other traditions with relatively conservative and predictable color schemes. The aquamarine blue is rather striking, reminiscent of coral encountered in the pristine waters of tropical and remote destinations. What really makes this extraordinary however, is that this piece relies mainly on kiln conditions and a natural ash glaze t...

This exceptionally well-formed tea bowl displays highlights of flaxen and scarlet visible through a classic black glaze. Raku tea bowls such as this are made by hand, without the use of a potter's wheel. In the process of shaping the bowls, potters handle the tea bowls in much the same manner that users will hold them as they drink from them. In this manner, a connection is formed between the creator of the tea bowl and the participants in the tea ceremony. For this and other reasons, Raku bowls...