Flower Arrangement by Maysoun

My wife, Maysoun, is a public health researcher, however, she also has a passion for flower arrangement. Once in a while, she does flower arrangement for weddings and other occasions. Today, she asked me if she could take the dust collecting vases I made so she can put some flowers in them for her work reception. I was curious to see what she would do with the vases because I made those vessels with tea ceremony in mind.
The shape comes from ancient Iga ware or "Ko Iga Yaki," (古伊賀焼). If there are undeniably Japanese potteries, this is one of them. Ancient Iga ware were produced in Azuchi Momoyama piriod in the mid 16th century, among which were flower vases with small handles or ears on the sides. With the special demand to be used specifically in tea ceremony fitting the taste of "Wabi Sabi," ornamental aspects of the flower vase were made minimal.  Those vessels were wood fired without glaze, hence, ash of the wood melted on the surface of the vases and created unintentional scenery or "Keshiki," (景色). The transformation that happens in the kiln is called "Youhen," (窯変). Because there are very little ways to manipulate what happens on the surface of pots in wood firing kiln, one has to take a chance for the end product. However, wood firing never cease to amaze and fascinate many ceramicist. One drawback with wood firing is that it can only be done as a rare occasion. Unlike gas or electric kiln, potters has to wait for firing wood to accumulate, and everything else that entails wood firing takes time and extra effort. While I had no access to wood firing back in 1999 when I originally started making this vase shape of ancient Iga style, I simply combined the ancient Iga shape and the glaze I liked, Hagi (萩) white. Since then, this shape had been my favorite to throw on the wheel. I have a theory of how the shape of ancient Iga flower vases came about, but I will wait for a different entry for that theory.

In any case, I was pleased to see Maysoun's flower arrangement. The white of the glaze, Shirayuki (白雪): it was made at Togei Kyoshitsu of New York, accentuated every colors there were in the arrangement. The mood of the room went really well with the vase and the arrangement. I would say it was a success arrangement!