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)

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!

new design

I am making stuff for Gowanus Nite Market for 12/08/12.

I decided not to go with many pieces because I just do not have time to produce that many and I am sharing a table with my friend, Yuki.  So, right now, I am just playing with a new design with cobalt underglaze. I am not sure what glaze I want to put over it though...
It is inspired by many things. I still like the loose "Karakusa"(唐草) or foliage scroll design. Putting the crescent moon above the stag's skull was my wife, Maysoun's idea. I hope it fires well.

Inspired by Persian Blue and White Tile

I bought a book in Japanese on antique ceramics of Asia in which I found a picture that I particularly liked.  It was a picture of Persian blue and white tile with two deer and plants around them.

The excerpt says the piece comes from Persia and was made in the 4th century. After doing some research online and in books, I could not find any record that backs up their claim on when it was made but it seems it is true that the first blue and white pottery was made using cobalt as under-glaze in Persia sometime in the 8th century. Later in the 13th century, the technique reached China and became what is know as "Chin Hua" (青花). When applied on porcelain in China, the contrast of blue and white became very vibrant and plant motifs became patterns.

The picture that I liked had much simpler look to it. Two deer running through woods. It had somewhat crude depiction of trees but yet it had a liveliness and mood that I was allured by.

I have no idea what deer symbolized back then in Persia but I somehow did not think it was merely a depiction of prey to be hunted. 

Anyway, I will continue thinking what about the picture I was so captivated by. Meanwhile, here are some examples of my take of the Persian blue and white tile and my approach using somewhat a similar technique.