Wood Fired Pots at Roger-san's ロジャーさんの所の薪窯

When someone starts making pottery, sooner or later one wants to try wood firing. I started making ceramic art as a student back in 1996. I made my own raku kiln. When I went back to Japan in 1999, I even built an experimental kiln using kiln shelves to imitate wood firing with my friend Kohtaro Ito.  We packed the kiln with vases and mangrove charcoal, and fired it for several hours. As a matter of fact, we were able to get similar effect to wood firing. We planed to built a a type of real wood firing kiln called "Anagama." The city, however, did not grant us the permission to build the kiln. After that, I went to a grad school for art program back in the U.S. Since then, I never really had a chance to put my own work in the wood firing kiln.
---time warp---
Last year in 2011, I started coming to this wonderful ceramic/pottery studio in NYC called Togei Kyoshitsu of NY. I heard much nice things about wood firing at Roger-san's. But not for me! I had to pass 4 chances to bring my work at Roger-san's because something always came up. After a year, I was finally able to go to Roger-san's!!
The process was pretty simple; we bring our pots to his studio. Glaze if wanted. Put "dango" (I am not sure what we call these balls in English) at any side of the pot so it would not stick to the self.
And leave them. Wait for two weeks. And go pick them up! This must be the easiest wood firing participation there is in this world. Or at least, it must be as easy as making a cup ramen. Thank you for making this so easy for us, Roger-san!

some of my pieces minus the pretty piece with a lid

from left, Rie-san, Yujiro-san, and Tomoe-san of Togei Kyoshitsu  (ひだりから、陶芸教室のりえさん、ユージローさん、トモエさん)

（りえさん、トモエさん、いつもおいしいお食事ありがとうございます！ユージローさん、いつも運転ありがとうございます！）

From right, Aki-chan, Roger-san, and me. (右からアキちゃん、ロジャーさん、僕)

Those pieces did not require sanding or grinding at the bottom. (バリを取らずにすんだ僕の作品) 

As a big fan of Ko Iga flower vases, this became a priceless experience to me. I am already planing on making new pieces for the next visit.

Next time, I will introduce Roger-san and other people's work as well.

陶芸を始めたら誰でも一度はやってみたいのが薪窯を使って自分の作品を焼くこと。1996年に陶土を使ってオブジェを大学で造り始め、ラク窯も自分で作った。1999年には僕の友達の宇都宮陶芸倶楽部の伊東功太郎と一緒に薪窯まがいを窯板を合わせて作り、マングローブ炭を使って焼き、それなりの結果もでた。その夏僕たちは陶芸倶楽部に穴窯を建てる予定ではあったものの、市からは許可が下りず、結局僕はアメリカにM.F.A.を取りに帰り、それからは薪窯で云々と言う話しは全くなかった。
タイムワープ
去年2011年に久しぶりに陶芸を始めた。僕が作陶に励むのはニューヨーク陶芸教室と言う所で、とっても良い所です。いき始めてすぐに、ロジャーさんの所で薪窯をやっていると聞き始めましたが、その後一年は僕には縁のない事になってしまいました。いくチャンスがあるごとに他の何かが持ち上がり、プランはペチャンになったのです。然し今回ついに僕はあのあこがれの薪窯に初挑戦できる事になったーっ！
プロセスはとっても簡単でした。はず自分たちの作品をロジャーさんの所に持っていく。釉薬をかける。団子を的確に付ける。作品を置いていく。二週間待ったら取りにいく。
なんて簡単なんだー！これではカップラーメン作るのと同じくらい簡単。ロジャーさんありがとう！
古伊賀花入れの大ファンである僕にとって今回の経験はとっても計り知れないものになりました。次の機会持っていく持っていく作品のデザインも、もうすっかり始めました。
次回は、ロジャーさんと他の人々の作品も紹介させていただきます。

Cobalt Dilemma

This is the end product of the past entry, "Conglomeration of Old and New." Cobalt on the 14" x 14" bowl.

It took me more than 7 hours putting cobalt underglaze on it. As you can see in the past blog, I paid attention to details. However, because of the glaze I chose, some fine lines and details are smudged. As the creator of this piece, I can say, "I don't mind the smudge." However, my wife would not drop the fact it looks unfinished and unintentional. (It doen't look that way to me.) It is a dilemma. For me, this obscured look has a certain character to it. I may be far more tolerant about imperfection than many other people. I see beauty in that. But, yes, I will also try to figure out how to make the bleeding of cobalt at minimal as well.

Gowanus Nite Market 12/08/'12

It was my first market experience to sell my work. I would not say I sold a bunch but I had fun with my friends and met cool people! It made me think about what I want to make for the market in near future. Here are some images of what I had at the market.

Table cloths I used on the table are from my vintage Iranian fabric collection. Some of them I have since I was in high school. Do I have a thing for Persian design? Yes. 

Yuki and I (Aki took this photo)

New Ones

There are new pieces I got this week.
1) This is from the entry, "New Design." Unfortunately, the glaze I used for this did not do what I wanted it to do. It came so even and clear! I wanted it to be more rustic,  some design obscured, and have black lines... Oh well, I will just have to draw a similar design and do it right next time.

2) I have been making this type of design lately and I like it. The glaze "Shirayuki" over cobalt gives nice look. I don't even mind smudged lines. 

3) I carved wood print rubber sheet to make multiple pieces with the same design. The glaze may be a bit too strong. But it is just a part of evolution of this line. On one side, there is a doe with an arrow above it and the other side, there is a stag with heart above it waiting to be shot though. With dark brown clay, I made mugs with the same design and with white glaze. It will have better contrast between the lines and the back ground. 

                                   

Conglomeration of Old and New

I am putting yet another unfinished piece in an entry. I used cobalt underglaze here as well.
I like traditional Japanese motifs like Peony, Chrysanthemum, or Japanese Aralia. But then I also throw in not so traditional approach like an antler, plants with roots, and giving angular design to balance otherwise a very traditional design composition.
Having spent hours on the design, I secretly thought it was pretty laborious task. Then I heard Mako, co-founder of Togei Kyoshitsu of New York, saying she has seen a documentary on a Chinese ceramic painter who had spent a year fishing a piece. It is a very humbling experience.

However, this kind of design excites me now, so I will just go at it!