Catalog: Artists: Ceramics: Pottery (841)

A glowering charred dark sake cup by Matsuo Takaaki enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Iga Shizen-yu Youhen Nozoki Hai. It is 6cm (just over 2 inches) diameter, 7.5cm (3 inches) tall and in excellent condition. Matsuo Takaaki was born in Yokohama in 1938. He began studies under Tsuji Seimei at Renkoji in 1960 where he trained for over 15 years. He became independent in 1975 and built a climbing kiln in Tama. Since he has been exhibited with the Issuikai but mainly focuses on the intimacy of private exhibitions.

What a joy to hold this igneous Guinomi by Atarashi Manabu, the stone like texture and form are a pleasure to the palm. It is covered in thick ash outside, pooling into crystalline shades on the surface outside, while the inside is largely left untouched, offering a view of the clay and a stark contrast between the inner and outer surfaces to enjoy visually. It comes enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Iga Shinogi Guinomi. The vessel fits perfectly in the palm, roughly 7.5 cm (3 inches) diameter and is in perfect condition, directly from the artist.
Atarashi Manabu has been growing in popularity as one of the leaders in the Iga pottery tradition since the first time I saw his work nearly 20 years ago when visiting the family showroom in Iga village. Born in 1973 in Osaka son of the second generation artist and one of the leading revivalists of the Iga tradition in post war Japan, Atarashi Kanji. He graduated the literature department of Kansai University in 1995, moving to apprentice under his father a few years later. In 2002 he built his first anagama Kiln, and held his first of a multitude of solo exhibitions. Intensely fired multiple times to achieve the bidoro glass puddles and landscape effects which define his aesthetic, the geometric works add a contemporary sensibility to the traditional Iga style and transcend the realm of utilitarian crafts breaking into the sculptural domain. His work has proven innovative and challenging to the norm, taking his fathers tradition into the 21st century.

A surprisingly thin-walled deep Sake cup covered in blasted ash by Matsuo Takaaki enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Iga Shizen-yu Youhen Nozoki Hai. It is 5.5cm (2 inches) diameter 7cm (just under 3 inches) tall and in excellent condition. Matsuo Takaaki was born in Yokohama in 1938. He began studies under Tsuji Seimei at Renkoji in 1960 where he trained for over 15 years. He became independent in 1975 and built a climbing kiln in Tama. Since he has been exhibited with the Issuikai but mainly focuses on the intimacy of private exhibitions.

Namako mottled dark blue glaze covers the fractured surface of this guinomi sake cup by Kashima Aya enclosed in the original signed wooden box. The technique is deceptively complex. In fact the initial form is created, then a thin layer of ceramic is made separately, dried, then cracked, and the individual pieces are applied like mosaic to the prepared form. Each the space in between the tiles is then abraded, the tiles glazed with color and the space n between glazed with iron. Each piece requires a great amount of painstaking dedication to complete. It is 6.5 cm (2-1/2 inches) diameter, 5.5 cm (just over 2 inches) tall and in excellent condition, directly from the artist.
Kashima Aya was born in Kanagawa prefecture in 1987. She graduated the Tokyo Kasei Gakuin University, Department of Arts and Culture in 2010. She graduated the Tajimi City Ceramic Design Institute Design Course in 2020, with an additional two years in their advanced Ceramic Lab, graduating in 2022. During this time, she took part in many group exhibitions. She received Nyusen status at the 55th Women's Association of Ceramic Artists (WACA) Exhibition in 2021. In 2023 her work was selected for presentation at the “Ceramic Synergy Exhibition” held at the Kyoto Kyocera Museum of Art.

This hand pinched Guinomi by Shigemori Yoko has been decorated with rough large polkadots in black applied directly to the still wet clay creating a dry, porous surface and unique texture. The vessel is 9 cm (3-1/2 inches) diameter, 5 cm (2 inches) deep and in excellent condition. It comes enclosed in a wooden box titled simply Guinomi annotated by her nephew.
Shigemori Yoko (1953-2021) was born in Kagoshima. Yoko came to Kyoto where she initially studied painting at the Kyoto Tankidai Art College, then moved to ceramics at the Kyoto Municipal Art University where she studied traditional pottery techniques under Kondo Yutaka before entering advanced courses under Yagi Kazuo, graduating in 1979. Her first solo exhibitions were held while still a student, at Gallery Iteza in Kyoto. She eschewed the world of competitive exhibitions in favor of the intimacy of private galleries, and her list of solo exhibitions is expansive. She received the Yagi Kazuo prize in 1986 and 1988 at the Nihon Gendai Togeiten. She was one of five artists featured in Toh, volume 76, The first issue dedicated to Kyoto Potters. Toh was at the time the most in depth survey of important contemporary potters published in 1993. Her work is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.

This guinomi by Watanabe Takuma complements the gourd-like Sake Server currently being offered. It feels as if it has been hewn from a lump of wood, the texture of tree bark on the fingers striking a natural accord with the gourd-like sense of the overturned bottle. has a variegated surface like patched together metal plates, with brilliant coloration. It comes enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Bizen Sake-nomi. It is roughly 6 cm (2-1/2 inches) diameter and in excellent condition acquired this summer from the artist.
Watanabe Takuma was born in Hyogo prefecture in 1968, and after graduating Kansai Daigaku University in 1991, began studying Bizen ware under Yamauchi Atsushi. In 1996 he entered the Bixen Toen Kiln. Shortly thereafter he began exhibiting and has receied numerous awards at the Okayama Prefectural Exhibition (Okayama Ken Bijutsu ten), National Traditional Crafts Exhibition (Nihon Dento Kogeiten), Issui-kai-ten, as well as being selected for the influential Tanabe Museum Modern Forms in Tea Exhibition among others. He built his own kin in 2006.

A surprisingly relaxed cup with steep sides decorated both inside and out with a single joined black brush trace by Shigemori Yoko enclosed in a signed wooden box. It is covered in a millet colored glaze with a crawling dry black line circling the body. The form is slightly slumped on one side, exuding an unperturbed confidence. It is roughly 7.5 cm (3 inches) diameter and in excellent condition, in a box annotated by her nephew.
Shigemori Yoko (1953-2021) was born in Kagoshima. Yoko came to Kyoto where she initially studied painting at the Kyoto Tankidai Art College, then moved to ceramics at the Kyoto Municipal Art University where she studied traditional pottery techniques under Kondo Yutaka before entering advanced courses under Yagi Kazuo, graduating in 1979. Her first solo exhibitions were held while still a student, at Gallery Iteza in Kyoto. She eschewed the world of competitive exhibitions in favor of the intimacy of private galleries, and her list of solo exhibitions is expansive. She received the Yagi Kazuo prize in 1986 and 1988 at the Nihon Gendai Togeiten. She was one of five artists featured in Toh, volume 76, The first issue dedicated to Kyoto Potters. Toh was at the time the most in depth survey of important contemporary potters published in 1993. Her work is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.

A beautiful small Guinomi by Matsuo Takaaki enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Shigaraki Shizen-yu Yohen Hai. It is 7 cm 2-3/4 inches) diameter, 5 cm (2 inches) tall and in excellent condition.
Matsuo Takaaki was born in Yokohama in 1938. He began studies under Tsuji Seimei at Renkoji in 1960 where he trained for over 15 years. He became independent in 1975 and built a climbing kiln in Tama. Since he has been exhibited with the Issuikai but mainly focuses on the intimacy of private exhibitions.

There is an understated elegance in the work of Saito Hiroyuki which is very difficult to describe, but blatantly apparent the moment one holds his work. This guinomi is expertly crafted, rough textured outside with a smooth rim leading to the dark inner “Ma” (emptiness), ready to be filled. It is 6.5 cm (2-1/2 inches) diameter, 5 cm (2 inches) tall and in excellent condition, directly from the artist.
Although I would love to offer a plethora of his work, we will have to wait until our next trip to Kyushu, as Hiroyuki is now concentrating, according to his own personal policy, on the very local populace, with whom he can develop a personal relationship, and know through direct feedback that his creations are rewarding to the end user.
Saito Hiroyuki was born in Kumamoto on the Southern Island of Kyushu in 1978. He came to ceramics after 30, having worked in industry and as a florist. In his late 20 he began to ask, what is a lifelong career? A stylish fellow, he was profoundly affected by the simplicity and style of German born Hans Coper. But it was not necessarily the connections to history and a specific tradition, but the ability to express one’s unique character through clay which drew him toward the potters fold. Around 30 he had a brush with death, and in the ICU decided should he survive, he would dedicate the remainder of his life to expressing himself in earth. Survive he did, and initially he was self-taught, eschewing the practice of apprenticeship while exploring his own new path. In 2013 he entered the Gen-gama under Furumori Gen, taking over the running of the kiln the following year. In 2018 he remodeled, setting up a group studio now shared by several artists working in various mediums.

I mirror like black vessel pinched together at the rim creating a comfortable sake serving container by Masatomo Toi enclosed in the original signed wooden box. The vessel is 13 cm (5 inches) long and in excellent condition, directly from the artist. It is photographed here with one of his golden thorned sake cups.
Masatomo Toi was born in Aichi Prefecture in 1992, and graduated the Design course at the Tajimi Ceramics Research Facility in 2019. Since he has been developing his series of “Thorny” vessels and objects. At the same time, he has been studying the way of tea, and these bowls are his first unadorned venture into the tea world (although we will also offer a few striking horned chawan as well). His works have been featured in a number of group and juried exhibitions. He will soon depart Japan for a year of study and experimentation abroad, and we expect great things in his future.

An exquisite black clay guinomi from Tokoname engraved with white lines by Shibata Yoshiaki enclosed in the original signed wooden box. It is 2-1/2 inches (7 cm) diameter and in excellent condition.
Yoshiaki is credited with having discovered the secret of this black clay, now in use by any number of atists in Tokoname. He was born in 1946, and apprenticed under Living National Treasure Yamada Jozan, becoming one of his top pupils. He established his own kiln in 1965 producing traditional tea ware as well as art objects. In 1972 he was recognized at the Vallauris International Ceramics Exhibition, and has had innumerable public and private exhibitions since.

A classic work echoing the Zen aesthetic of Boku-seki (Brush-traces) of Zen lore by Shigemori Yoko enclosed in a signed wooden box titled simply Guinomi. It is 7 cm (just less than 3 inches) diameter, 5 cm (2 inches) tall and in excellent condition enclosed in a box signed by her nephew Tetsu.
Shigemori Yoko (1953-2021) was born in Kagoshima. Yoko came to Kyoto where she initially studied painting at the Kyoto Tankidai Art College, then moved to ceramics at the Kyoto Municipal Art University where she studied traditional pottery techniques under Kondo Yutaka before entering advanced courses under Yagi Kazuo, graduating in 1979. Her first solo exhibitions were held while still a student, at Gallery Iteza in Kyoto. She eschewed the world of competitive exhibitions in favor of the intimacy of private galleries, and her list of solo exhibitions is expansive. She received the Yagi Kazuo prize in 1986 and 1988 at the Nihon Gendai Togeiten. She was one of five artists featured in Toh, volume 76, The first issue dedicated to Kyoto Potters. Toh was at the time the most in depth survey of important contemporary potters published in 1993. Her work is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.

A wide Hai (sake cup) covered in earthen glaze with vibrant blue lines undulating through the basin by Shigemori Yoko enclosed in a signed wooden box. The blue has worked its way into the pale glaze, creating a stark texture in the riches line through the bowl. It is 9.2 cm (roughly 3-3/4 inches) diameter and in excellent condition, in a box annotated by her nephew.
Shigemori Yoko (1953-2021) was born in Kagoshima. Yoko came to Kyoto where she initially studied painting at the Kyoto Tankidai Art College, then moved to ceramics at the Kyoto Municipal Art University where she studied traditional pottery techniques under Kondo Yutaka before entering advanced courses under Yagi Kazuo, graduating in 1979. Her first solo exhibitions were held while still a student, at Gallery Iteza in Kyoto. She eschewed the world of competitive exhibitions in favor of the intimacy of private galleries, and her list of solo exhibitions is expansive. She received the Yagi Kazuo prize in 1986 and 1988 at the Nihon Gendai Togeiten. She was one of five artists featured in Toh, volume 76, The first issue dedicated to Kyoto Potters. Toh was at the time the most in depth survey of important contemporary potters published in 1993. Her work is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.

A deep bowl of textured clay covered in black glaze with an abstract of dribbled silver in the center by Shigemori Yoko enclosed in a signed wooden box titled Hai (Sake cup). It is 8.2 cm (3-1/4 inches) diameter and in excellent condition, enclosed in a wooden box annotated by her nephew.
Shigemori Yoko (1953-2021) was born in Kagoshima. Yoko came to Kyoto where she initially studied painting at the Kyoto Tankidai Art College, then moved to ceramics at the Kyoto Municipal Art University where she studied traditional pottery techniques under Kondo Yutaka before entering advanced courses under Yagi Kazuo, graduating in 1979. Her first solo exhibitions were held while still a student, at Gallery Iteza in Kyoto. She eschewed the world of competitive exhibitions in favor of the intimacy of private galleries, and her list of solo exhibitions is expansive. She received the Yagi Kazuo prize in 1986 and 1988 at the Nihon Gendai Togeiten. She was one of five artists featured in Toh, volume 76, The first issue dedicated to Kyoto Potters. Toh was at the time the most in depth survey of important contemporary potters published in 1993. Her work is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.

An early vase by sculptural legend Yanagihara Mutsuo enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Heki-yu Tetsu-e Kabin. Hekiyu is a glaze made of copper and cobalt, which when fired takes on the color of Lapiz. In this case the Lapiz blue pours down over a tapering base of raw earth decorated with spiraling blades in iron glaze. It is 23.5cm (9 inches) diameter 27.5 cm (11 inches) tall and in excellent condition.
Yanigahara Mutsuo (b.1934) was raised in Seto, and studied in Kyoto along with contemporary Morino Taimei with whom he maintained a lifelong friendship. His work is largely sculptural, and his choice of colors is his reflection on the decadence of Japanese society. A list of exhibitions and awards would be much too long but includes the Japan Ceramics Society Gold prize in 2002. Listed as one of the most influential potters of the 20th century in the Japanese ceramics magazine Honoho Geijutsu, he is held in the Museum of Modern Art, both Tokyo and Kyoto (MOMAT, MOMAK), The National Museum of Art, Osaka, V&A, Great Victoria Art Gallery, Portland and any number of other prominent public and private collections throughout the world. For more see Japanese Studio Crafts, Tradition and the Avant Garde by Rupert Faulkner. According to the V&A his “work is striking for its blend of dynamism, colour and wit. A leading figure among Kyoto artists, Yanagihara has taught at Osaka University of Arts since 1968. Yanagihara's application of brightly coloured abstract motifs to vessel forms with anatomical, sometime sexually explicit features - a combination with which he first experimented in the late 1960s and early 1970s - has been a characteristic of his work for the past fifteen years. As in the case of Morino Taimei, a close friend and exact contemporary at Kyoto City University of Arts in the late 1950s, Yanagihara has been considerably influenced by the experiences he gained during two periods of teaching in the United States in 1966-8 and 1972-4. His use of gold and silver - a wry comment, he has explained, on the decaying values of contemporary society and the corruption of Japan's political system - echoes the extravagant style of certain North American artists.”

Hi-dasuki lines of red charring streak across the surface of this large Tokkuri Vase by Isezaki Mitsuru (b. 1934) enclosed in the original signed wooden box. A smooth even profusion of bubbles welter about the clay, adding a tactile texture to the elongated body. The vase is over 20 inches (51.5 cm) tall and in perfect condition. Mitsuru was born to a family of potters, his father Yozan and brother Jun both very important in Bizen pottery. In 1998 Mitsuru was named a Prefectural Intangible Cultural Property for Okayama (the prefectural version of a living National Treasure, likely more important as it is truly based on the artists contributions rather than heredity). He has innumerable exhibitions, including the Nihon Togei-Ten (National Ceramics Exhibition) Nihon Dento Kogei-Ten (National Traditional Crafts Exhibition) and Gendai Togei Ten (Modern Japanese Ceramics Exhibition). In fact his first piece exhibited with the First National Ceramic Exhibition was selected for display in a show which went around the globe. Recipient of the Kaneshige Toyo prize as well as purchased by the Japanese Foreign service as gift to foreign dignitaries.

Lines of burnt straw scar the surface of this voluminous work by Yamamoto Yuichi enclosed in the original signed wooden box. It is 17-1/2 inches (45 cm) tall, 9 x 10 inches (23 x 25.5 cm) at the base and in excellent condition.
Born the son of Living National Treasure Yamamoto Toshu, Yuichi was raised among the clay and kilns of Bizen, at a vital time when Bizen was devastated by the war economy, and the dramatic years of growth and research following. He began making pottery in 1959, at a time when artists were both working to revive old traditions and styles, and yet invoking new forms and sculptural techniques on their work. He travelled extensively, incorporating foreign influences into his body of work. He has exhibited with the Nihon Dento Kogei Ten Traditional Arts and Crafts Exhibition, Nihon Togei Ten National Pottery Exhibition, as well as a plethora of private and public galleries both domestic and abroad. He received the Kaneshige Toyo pottery award in 1976. He was also awarded Grand Prize at the Tanabe Museum Modern Forms in Tea Ceremony Exhibition in 1996. Works by the artist are held in the French National Ceramics Museum, and the collection of the Imperial Household among others

A perfectly turned orb vase covered in fissured celadon by Minegishi Seiko enclosed in the original signed wooden box. It is roughly 12 inches (30 cm) diameter and in excellent condition. Born in 1952 in Saitama, he studied under various masters in Nagano, Tochigi and Ibaragi, going solo at the young age of 22. He worked in Kohiki ware initially, but moved to celadon, and is considered one of a select few true masters of that form in Japan today. He moved his kiln from Saitama to Nasu in Tochigi in 1993, and has since exhibited with the Nihon Dento Kogei Ten, Dento Kogei Shinsaku Ten and Nihon togeitenamong others. A piece by this artist sold at Christies (sale 5579, lot 349) for 1,750 pounds (2,970 dollars). For more see issue 21 of Daruma Magazine.