Catalog: Artists: Ceramics: Pottery (777)

Silver ray-skin texture covers this fabulous Katakuchi sake pot by Ichikawa Toru enclosed in the original signed wooden box. OMG a chilled Daiginjo served with this would have to taste like a million bucks! Like a footed softball, it is 12 cm (4-3/4 inches) diameter, ever so slightly shorter although it appears to be taller than it is wide.
One of my favorite artists, the innovative Ichikawa Toru was born in Tokyo in 1973. In 2015 he established his current studio in Bizen after 4 years of apprenticeship under another Bizen Outsider, Kakurezaki Ryuichi. He has since developed quite a following, with his shows selling out often within hours.

A twisting black form covered in layers of petals by Yamaguchi Mio enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Idol. It is 10.5 x 16 x 35 cm (4 x 6 x 14 inches) and is in excellent condition, directly from the artist. The box will be ordered and signed upon purchase.
Yamaguchi Mio was born in Aichi prefecture in 1992, and graduated advanced studies at the Aichi University of Education in 2017. While still at university, her works were selected for show at the JoryuTogei Ten Female Ceramic Artist Association Exhibition (2014). In 2016 she was awarded at the 3rd Kogei in Kanazawa Competition, Grand Prize at the Ceramic Art in the Present Tense Exhibition at the Hagi Uragami Museum as well received the governors prize at the 5oth Female Ceramic Artist Association Exhibition. In 2017 she was selected for the 11International Ceramics Competition in Mino. She took a job as a teacher, but could not fight the need to create, so enrolled in the Tajimi City Ceramics research facility, graduating in2020. Her work is currently on view in the Chicago Institute of Arts, and was featured on the cover of the catalog for that exhibition, Radical Clay.
According to Mio: I feel that my fascination towards the natural world’s use of repetition, in bee hives and on the surface of corals, appears in my work as I consume and absorb the world around me. I like to believe that these works are natural forms made by my own hands. When I mold clay, I have a sensation that my body and consciousness blends and binds with the material and the natural world. The process of building upon each coil and applying each fold one by one with my hands is a form of meditation. Through this repetitive process I want to be able to convey my thoughts at the time in the texture, such as my struggle of swaying between the desires to live freely and falling under the pressure from societal expectations. It calms me down to observe the fingerprints left in the surface and see the traces of my existence in the clay. These works are products of what I have absorbed around me.

A spectacular pottery sculpture of the Okoze (Scorpion Fish) by Kimura Gyokushu enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled simply Bizen Okoze. It is 27 x 18.5 x 9 cm (11 x 7-1/2 x 3-1/2 inches) and is in excellent condition.
Kimra Gyokushu was born the eldest son of the 16th generation Kimura Munetoku in 1953. He graduated from Nagoya University of Arts in 1976, then went on to be awarded the Okayama Mayor's Award at the Okayama Prefectural Exhibition that same year. In 1978 he was selected for the 10th Nitten National Exhibition, subsequently exhibiting there more than 30 times; and his work was again awarded at the Okayama Prefectural exhibition. He succeeded in his research and creation of white Bizen in 1995, and was selected for Shigaraki Ceramics Exhibition. He became a lecturer at Kobe Women's University Seto Junior College from 2001, and from 2003 served as a juror at the Okayama Prefectural Exhibition. In 2009 he was made vice president of the Japan Ceramic Sculpture Association. He accepted a position as lecturer at Okayama Prefectural University in 2013.

A fabulous large Mizusashi with a rugged, natural shape covered in cool blue and gray by Hagi icon Kaneta Masanao enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Hagi Hai-Kaburi Kurinuki Mizusashi. It is roughly 18.5 cm (7-1/4 inches) tall, 26.5 cm (10-1/2 inches) diameter and in excellent condition, complete with the artists shiori and shifuku.
Kaneta Masanao likely needs no introduction, certainly one of Hagi’s most well-known and easily identifiable names. Although an eighth-generation potter inheriting an overtly conservative tradition, he has transcended limitations, and was one of the first to begin carrying Hagi into the 21st century. His work evokes a distinct tension between both function and form, and technique and tradition. he has been displayed both nationally and internationally innumerable times. His pieces are in the collection of the Tokyo National Museum of Modern Art, Yamaguchi Prefectural Museum and Museum of Modern Art Brooklyn. He has been displayed at the Nihon Dento Kogei Ten and Nihon Togei Ten among many many others.

An unusual cubic work by Hashimoto Tomonari in which he has altered his normal process to allow a powerful crusted texture to form on the work. Oxidized in shades of blue and rusty orange. It is 30 x 34 x 33.5 cm (12 x 13-1/2 x 13-1/2 inches) and in excellent condition, directly from the artist accompanied by a signed wooden placard.
Hashimoto Tomonari was born the son of a sculptor and has felt comfortable with the processes of creation since childhood. He graduated with a masters from the Kanazawa University of Art in March 2017, then relocated to Shigaraki. A visit to his humble home studio is eye opening. Although he comes across as shy in conversation, when you move on to the subject of art, he is all confidence. He was named a finalist for the Loewe Craft Prize in 2019 and is making international waves around the world. Work by him is held in the V&A in London, LACMA and a large sculpture has recently been installed in his home prefecture of Wakayama.

The abraded and torn red-tinged Iga clay fills with green glaze in a climbing spiral pattern forming this Tokkuri by Atarashi Kanji enclosed in the original signed wooden box. It is 14 cm (5-1/2 inches) tall and in excellent condition.
Atarashi Kanji was born in Osaka in 1944, and graduated the Osaka College of Craft design. After 3 years in Kobe, and 4 in Kishiwada (Wakayama) he came to settle in Iga, where he was one of the driving forces behind the resurrection and preservation of the Iga tradition. Although displayed at the National Craft Fair, he prefers the intimacy of the private exhibition, of which he holds several every year. And if ones visit to japan is not timed right for an exhibition, he can otherwise be found at his kiln working along with his son Manabu.

Red oxidation swirls among the crinkled white covering the sandy clay of this tea bowl by Hori Ichiro enclosed in the original signed wooden box. It is 11 cm (4-1/2 inches ) diameter 9.5 cm (3-3/4 inches) tall and in excellent condition.
Hori Ichiro (b. 1952) graduated the Tajimi School of Industrial Design and apprenticed under Kato Kozo. He has been awarded the Governors prize at the Asahi Ceramics Exhibtion, and has been displayed at the Chunichi Kokusai Togei Ten as well as Nihon Dento Kogei Ten. He says, “I believe in making pottery which is born of nature…”

Who says the work of a woman potter is feminine? This is a powerful Iga work by Watanabe Aiko enclosed in the original signed wooden box. There is nothing sedate about this work, charred and dripping with glassy green glaze, freckled with flying ash; the heavy lug handles jutting from the side slightly off kilter. The vessel is 7 inches (17 cm) tall, roughly the same diameter and in excellent condition.
Aiko established her first Anagama kiln in Shigaraki in 1994, and moved to Iga in 2001 where she built her second kiln. That was a big year of change for her, and she held her first of many private exhibitions in Shibuya, Tokyo, including one just finished at Kuroda Toen. Always building in 2003 she began planning her third Anagama kiln, which was first fired in 2005. A promising young artist still affordable, but with recent media attention that condition may not last.

A vibrant image of a gourd filled with colorful sages at play by Shigemori Yoko. The surrounding black ink is like a Zen painting, immediate and spontaneous; struck out in quick dramatic strokes. By comparison the dynamic figures contained within appear to be painted in light, leisurely strokes with daps of soft color. This is one of several ink and colored sketches we received from her estate and had mounted as scrolls. They play games, practice calligraphy, enjoy tea and conversation, one is even flying a kite! Ink with soft colors on paper, it has been freshly prepared in a blue cloth border terminating in celadon, rollers. The scroll is 46.3 x 196 cm and is in excellent condition.
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.

Graffito scrawls through the silver lining of this fine Chawan by Morino Taimei enclosed in the original signed wooden box. A single dark spot, like a phpotograhic negative of the full moon reflected in water. Outside a wavering line about the foot. The bowl is 12.5 cm diameter, 7.5 cm tall and in perfect condition.
Taimei was born in Kyoto in 1934, and was first accepted into the Nitten National Exhibition at a relatively young age in 1957 (a year before graduating the Kyoto Municipal University of Fine Art!). In 1960 he received the prestigious Hokutosho prize at the same National Exhibition. In the early 60s he worked as a guest professor at the University of Chicago. Upon his return to Japan his career began to lift off with a second Hokutosho Prize at the Nitten, followed by The governors prize and others at the Gendai Kogei Ten (Modern National Crafts Exhibition). He was subsequently selected for display at the Kyoto and Tokyo National Museums in 1972 and was accepted into the first Nihon Togei Ten that same year. Since his list of exhibitions and prizes has continued to grow, with subsequent selections in the Tokyo and Kyoto museums of Art, as well as exhibitions in Paris, Italy, America, Canada, Denmark and others. In 2007 he received the Japan Art Academy Prize, an award to a work of art similar in weight to the bestowing of Living National Treasure to an artist. This puts the artist in a small club, rare and important. For more information on the artist see Contemporary Japanese Ceramics, Fired with Passion by (Lurie/Chan, 2006) or the recent exhibition of works titled Generosity in Clay from the Natalie Fitz-gerald Collection.

A cylinder has been removed from this cylindrical vase, quite a striking shape by Furutani Taketoshi enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Shigaraki Shizen-yu Ohen Ichirin Hanaire. The hollow created has filled with a heavy deposit of ash with fingers of color reaching out from the dark interior wrapping around the vessel to the red eyelets. The top too is heavily coated in glistening molten ash in grays and greens, olives and ochers. It is 12.5 cm (5 inches) diameter, 21 cm (just over 8 inches) tall and in excellent condition, directly from the artist.
Furutani Taketoshi was born the son of master craftsman Furutani Hirofumi in 1974, graduating the Shigaraki Industrial High School Ceramics department in 1992 before entering the Shiga prefectural Ceramics Research Facility where he learned first Small Rokuro wheel technique, graduating the following year. In 1993 he would find himself under the tutelage of Suzuki Iwau before re-entering for a second course at the Research Facility, graduating in 1995. From then he returned to the family kiln where he learned in the time-honored tradition from both his grandfather Churoku I and father Hirofumi (Churokuk II). In 2013 he was named a Dento Kogeishi Traditional Craftsman. Since he has exhibited consistently at the Japan Traditional Crafts Exhibition. Subverting the self, he makes simple, organic pots which have a timeless quality. As well he dares new forms and challenges the clay with innovative techniques, coercing from the pliable earth challenging incarnations very much rooted in the now, yet still paying homage to the traditions passed down through the ages.

A small lapping cluster like a flower bulb in sand-textured earthtones by Yamaguchi Mio, a rare very small piece which can easily fill a nook in a collection. It is 8.5 x 9.5 x 8.5 cm (roughly 3-1/2 inches diameter) and is in excellent condition, directly from the artist. It comes with a signed wooden box, which will be ordered upon sale.
Yamaguchi Mio was born in Aichi prefecture in 1992, and graduated advanced studies at the Aichi University of Education in 2017. While still at university, her works were selected for show at the JoryuTogei Ten Female Ceramic Artist Association Exhibition (2014). In 2016 she was awarded at the 3rd Kogei in Kanazawa Competition, Grand Prize at the Ceramic Art in the Present Tense Exhibition at the Hagi Uragami Museum as well received the governors prize at the 5oth Female Ceramic Artist Association Exhibition. In 2017 she was selected for the 11International Ceramics Competition in Mino. She took a job as a teacher, but could not fight the need to create, so enrolled in the Tajimi City Ceramics research facility, graduating in2020. Her work is currently on view in the Chicago Institute of Arts, and was featured on the cover of the catalog for that exhibition, Radical Clay.
According to Mio: I feel that my fascination towards the natural world’s use of repetition, in bee hives and on the surface of corals, appears in my work as I consume and absorb the world around me. I like to believe that these works are natural forms made by my own hands. When I mold clay, I have a sensation that my body and consciousness blends and binds with the material and the natural world. The process of building upon each coil and applying each fold one by one with my hands is a form of meditation. Through this repetitive process I want to be able to convey my thoughts at the time in the texture, such as my struggle of swaying between the desires to live freely and falling under the pressure from societal expectations. It calms me down to observe the fingerprints left in the surface and see the traces of my existence in the clay. These works are products of what I have absorbed around me.

An unusual lidded vessel in the shape of a clay pitcher beautifully patterned with natural ash glazes by Furutani Churoku I enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Shigaraki Shizen-Yu Dobin Hanaire. This looks like something drawn from a literati painting, a scholar seated with his brushes and ink beside a table upon which tea cools, the tall pot promising refreshment. The glaze lies heaviest between the handle and spout, dribbling down into the ember blackened ash deposits below, while opposite Tombo-no-me (dragonfly-eyes) permeate the red clay surface. The receptacle is 27 cm (11 inches) tall and in excellent condition, directly from the family.
Furutani Hiromu (Churoku I, 1922-2012) Fascinated by the aesthetics of "wabi" and "sabi" expressed in the “Koge” (Charing),“Hi-iro”(Flame Color) and other naturally born kiln effects of Shigaraki ware, Furutani Hiromu devoted himself to the recovery of pre-Edo firing techniques. He was on the forefront of research into ancient kiln construction and he recreated both an Anagama and then a climbing kiln which could produce wares to rival the ancients. In the manner of craftsmen of time immemorial, he produced both Tsubo and Tea Ware. He was the first artist named a Dento Kogeishi (Traditional Craftsman) in Shigaraki, accepting that honor in 1976. After that his works were exhibited throughout Japan, as well as internationally. Breaking from tradition however, he also worked to create carved and modeled pieces with animated creatures writhing across the surfaces or arching to form handles.

A masterpiece by Shigaraki Icon Koyama Kiyoko enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Shigaraki Shizen-yu Mentori Hanaire. She was well known for both her Mentori works, and the exuberant amount of ash accumulated from the 10 plus day firings of her kiln. This is a prime example of both those features. It is 24.5 cm (just udner 10 inches) diameter, roughly the same height, and in excellent condition.
Koyama Kiyoko was born in Sasebo, Nagasaki in 1936. Following the second world war the family moved to Shiga prefecture, eventually settling in the pottery village of Shigaraki. She took a job as a ceramic painter's assistant at a young age. In 1954 she began to work as a pottery decorator in Shigaraki under Nakashima Takamitsu. Later she moved to Kyoto to study Kenzan ware and Sometsuke under Yoshitake Eijiro. Aged 27 she began working in earnest in clay and studying clay technique under Misawa Kenzo. Enthralled by an ancient pot shard with natural blue ash glaze, she sought to recreate this effect in modern times, building her own kiln and repeatedly firing, searching for that magic point, but slowly pushing the family toward insolvency. Not only was she attempting to break barriers with the pots she created, but she was forced to break barriers in a male dominated world where women were prohibited from the wood fired kiln as unworthy. She did have her supporters of course, and with their help and persistence and ever longer firings she eventually succeeded in finding that blue. Kiyoko has a list of shows and prizes which would fill pages, including the Nihon Dento Kogei Ten Traditional Crafts Exhibition, Nihon Togei Ten Ceramic Exhibition, the Asahi Togei Ten Ceramics Exhibition as well as many international exhibitions. Her son Koyama Kenichi (1961-1992) worked to take over the family kiln, but succumbed to Leukemia after a long fight. Their story is the subject of the film Hi-Bi (2005) and the recent NHK television drama Scarlet. She is the preeminent pioneering female wood firing artist in Japan, and bore the brunt of centuries of discrimination against women. Through it all she persevered to become one of the most highly sought of Shigaraki potters. For more on her works see Modern Japanese Ceramics in American Collections, Japan Society New York, 1993

A ceramic box by Nishibata Daibi enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Senmon Tobako and exhibited at the 53rd Nihon Dento Kogeiten National Traditional Crafts Exhibition. This piece was awarded at the prestigious event. It is 11 x 11 x 4-1/2 inches (28 x 28 x 11.5 cm) and is in fine condition. Nishibata Daibi was born in Tachikui Village, Hyogu in 1976. After graduating the Law Department of Kyoto University, one of the countries most formidable schools, in 1999, the promising young lawyer moved to complete a ceramics course at the prefectural vocational school, and then a stint at the Municipal Industrial Research Institute (Like many of the greats before him, Kawai Kanjiro, Hamada Shoji etc). His first solo exhibition was held at Kuroda Toen in Ginza, quite a feat for a young artist. In 2005 he first exhibited with the Nihon Dento Kogeiten National Traditional Crafts Exhibition. The following year, in addition to that venue, he was exhibited at the Chanoyu Zokei Ten a (Modern Forms in Tea). While his works were popular in private Department store exhibits, he continued with these two jurried fairs, but tragically died of heart failure at the very young age of 34 in 2010. The number of works by this artist are very few and difficult to find.

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.

A secret technique is used to induce the wide cracking which does not penetrate the sides of this Tsubo wrapped in fingers of natural ash glaze by Furutani Taketoshi enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Shigaraki Shizen-yu Yabure Tsubo. Green ash viciously assaults one side, the color spreading out over the surface, overshadowing the darkness where it was buried in the embers, and wraps around the body in streaks of color leading to shell impressed eyelets on a surface burnt orange and black. It culminates in a single crystalline bead of green glass. The tsubo is 27 cm (11 inches) diameter, 32.5 cm (13 inches) tall and in excellent condition, directly from the artist.
Furutani Taketoshi was born the son of master craftsman Furutani Hirofumi in 1974, graduating the Shigaraki Industrial High School Ceramics department in 1992 before entering the Shiga prefectural Ceramics Research Facility where he learned first Small Rokuro wheel technique, graduating the following year. In 1993 he would find himself under the tutelage of Suzuki Iwau before re-entering for a second course at the Research Facility, graduating in 1995. From then he returned to the family kiln where he learned in the time-honored tradition from both his grandfather Churoku I and father Hirofumi (Churokuk II). In 2013 he was named a Dento Kogeishi Traditional Craftsman. Since he has exhibited consistently at the Japan Traditional Crafts Exhibition. Subverting the self, he makes simple, organic pots which have a timeless quality. As well he dares new forms and challenges the clay with innovative techniques, coercing from the pliable earth challenging incarnations very much rooted in the now, yet still paying homage to the traditions passed down through the ages.

A fabulous wavering form accentuates the fissured ice-like glaze of celadon master Uraguchi Masayuki enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Seiji Kokusho Mizusashi. The black lacquered lid is like a dark pool in the middle of the flaring body. The sleek shape is very much his own, and the deeply crackled glazes he employs have been developed over a lifetime of experimentation. His success rate with pieces like this does not exceed 30 percent, making them quite rare and difficult to acquire. This is 22.5 cm (9 inches) diameter, 14 cm (5-1/2 inches) tall and in excellent condition.
Uraguchi Masayuki (b. 1964) discovered pottery while attending the Tokyo National University of Fine Art and Music and his world turned when he was introduced to a Song Dynasty Seiji Vase" at the Tokyo National Museum designated a National Treasure during one of his art courses. After graduation he met (and studied under) living National Treasure for celadon Miura Koheiji at the Tokyo University of Art. Inspired by the Southern Song celadons as well as the work of Japanese master ceramists Itaya Hazan and Okabe Mineo, Uraguchi spent years personally researching his own celadon glazes and clay bodies types. He finished his post graduate program in 1989, claiming a prize that same year at the National Traditional Arts and Crafts New Works Exhibition (Nihon Dento Kogei Shinsakuten). The following year he would b awarded at the Nitten National Exhibition. In 1991 he established his kiln in Tochigi prefecture. He has since received innumerable awards, including the Asahi Ceramic Art Exhibition, Japan Ceramic Art Exhibition (Nihon Togeiten) among many others. In 1995 he travelled to China to study first-hand the Song guan and Longquan ceramics. In 2001 he moved his Kiln to Hachigocho, Ibaraki Prefecture

Matte colors in olive and silver coat the fiddle head fronds sprouting from this clump of clay studded with mysterious orbs by Masatomo Toi from his germination series of ceramic sculptures. The treatment of the rising horns is unusual in this piece, ordinarily more direct and threatening, these appear to be shy. The sculpture is 39 cm (15-1/2 inches) tall, 16.5 cm (6-1/2 inches) diameter and in excellent condition.
(The price includes professional packaging and shipping by private air freight to Western Europe, North America and Oceania. For other regions please inquire.)
The germination series is a true window into this artists soul. They are his representation of the power of the life cycle paired with our human frailties and strengths. He begins by forming the thorns, orbs and sabers which stud the work. These are bisk fired, then glazed and fired again. They are then embedded into the clod, and bisk fired again after drying. Glazed, they are once again fired at high temperature. Despite efforts and calculations, weight and temperature and oxidation cause unexpected changes, the tendrils bend and move with the heat waves, the clay clod can crack or disintegrate. The survivors are cooled, and then aged. When he is ready, he applies the gold and silver and Platinum and other metals, and they are once again fired, and again some fall to the wayside, unable to withstand the temperatures. Sometimes unexpected alterations occur, and other pieces do not make it through or break. Some of these can be repaired and fired again. According to Toi the sculptures are like us humans: Like our lives, we get damaged, scarred, and sometimes we can be mended. We bend with time and weight, and my works are the same. And yet we survive, altered by the experiences. There is no shame in it.
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 other traditional arts such as flower arrangement, and his use of negative space is masterful. 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.

There is nothing superfluous in the work of Saito Hiroyuki, often described as “Muda no nai utsuwa” (Vessel without waste). Here is an exquisite tea bowl in muted silver and black with a texture which will make your hands want to dance. Like the creator, it is chic, with a simplicity of form which is timeless, and yet very much rooted in the world we live in today. The bowl is 8 cm (3 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.

A beautiful ceramic bowl in shattered layers of celadon by master of the genre Minegishi Seiko enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Beishoku Rinka Hachi (Flower Shaped Bowl in Beishoku Celadon). It is 22.5 cm (9 inches) diameter and in excellent condition.
Born in 1952 in Saitama, Minegishi Seiko 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 Togeiten　among others. For more see issue 21 of Daruma Magazine.

A fabulous bowl, scarred on both sides and decorated in the manner of the Oribe work held in the collection of the V&A by Shigemori Yoko enclosed in a signed wooden box titled Ao-tenten Natsu Chawan (Summer Tea Bowl with Blue Spots). It has been dipped in two different colors of overlapping glaze, with random strikes of black punctuated by dribbles and splatters of blue and red. It is 13.5 cm (5-1/4 inches) diameter, 9 cm (3-1/2 inches) tall and in excellent condition, enclosed in a box annotated by her brother Naoki. 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 evocative thick slab curling up to form a basin on a circular solid clay foot elevating the contents 7 cm (3 inches) off the table. The artist fingers are clearly visible in the base forming deep impressions about which the cobalt and feldspar meander in rivulets. This piece is about as good as you can get, the entire nearly covered in white with underlying green glass and cobalt pooling dark in the center, bits of raw earth exposed like snow relinquishing the harsh winters grasp on a high mountain-scape. With this artist, as in nature, there are no straight lines, and these organic forms may just be the secret of his success. Japanese cuisine is a communal affair, and quite often main dishes will be placed in the center of the table on large dishes, where people can pluck away at it with their chopsticks. This dish is 28 x 17 cm (11 x 7 inches) with the corners curving up to 12 cm (5 inches) high. It is in excellent condition, from the artist over New Years. We have currently not had a box made for these to keep the price and shipping fee down, but one can be prepared if desired for 75 dollars.
Murakoshi Takuma is one of those enigmas who simply lives to work with clay. He does not seek to make a living through pottery, but through his primal approach has earned a following which keeps his work in high demand. If there is anything he is known for, it is without a doubt his legendary status among restaurants and Izakaya as the man to make your food presentation perfect. He was born in Aichi prefecture in 1954 and began his stroll down the pottery path in 1980 under the tutelage of Kyoto potter Umehara Takehira. Favoring very rough Shigaraki glaze, he established his own kiln in 1997 in the Kiyomizu pottery district of Kyoto, then moved to Nagaoka in 2002. Although eschewing the world of competitive exhibitions, he has been picked up by many of Japan’s preeminent galleries, including private exhibitions at the prestigious Kuroda Toen of Tokyo’s Ginza District.

Every surface of this large tsubo by Furutani Taketoshi has been cut away in ascending and descending chevrons down the fire side of which crystalline glazes form in pools where the descending chevrons meet. On the fringes of the blast of ash are various shades of red while opposite shiseki inclusions bubble out from the raw pale clay. It is 32 cm (13 inches diameter) 37 cm (15 inches) tall and in excellent condition, enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Shigaraki Shizen Yu Shinogi Tsubo, directly from the artist.
Furutani Taketoshi was born the son of master craftsman Furutani Hirofumi in 1974, graduating the Shigaraki Industrial High School Ceramics department in 1992 before entering the Shiga prefectural Ceramics Research Facility where he learned first Small Rokuro wheel technique, graduating the following year. In 1993 he would find himself under the tutelage of Suzuki Iwau before re-entering for a second course at the Research Facility, graduating in 1995. From then he returned to the family kiln where he learned in the time-honored tradition from both his grandfather Churoku I and father Hirofumi (Churokuk II). In 2013 he was named a Dento Kogeishi Traditional Craftsman. Since he has exhibited consistently at the Japan Traditional Crafts Exhibition. Subverting the self, he makes simple, organic pots which have a timeless quality. As well he dares new forms and challenges the clay with innovative techniques, coercing from the pliable earth challenging incarnations very much rooted in the now, yet still paying homage to the traditions passed down through the ages.

The fire is still alive on this striking Shigaraki Tsubo by Furutani Taketoshi enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Shigaraki Shizen-yu Yohen Tsubo. Yohen, literally translated Kiln-altered, is a word for the unexpected results, or fortuitous accidents of firing. In this case, they are likely speaking of the unusual coloration of the running ash wrapping around the blackened surface. Kiln effects are what this family is known for, and this does not disappoint. It is 27.5 x 27.5 x 33.5 cm (11 inches diameter, 13 inches tall) and in excellent condition, directly from the artist.
Furutani Taketoshi was born the son of master craftsman Furutani Hirofumi in 1974, graduating the Shigaraki Industrial High School Ceramics department in 1992 before entering the Shiga prefectural Ceramics Research Facility where he learned first Small Rokuro wheel technique, graduating the following year. In 1993 he would find himself under the tutelage of Suzuki Iwau before re-entering for a second course at the Research Facility, graduating in 1995. From then he returned to the family kiln where he learned in the time-honored tradition from both his grandfather Churoku I and father Hirofumi (Churokuk II). In 2013 he was named a Dento Kogeishi Traditional Craftsman. Since he has exhibited consistently at the Japan Traditional Crafts Exhibition. Subverting the self, he makes simple, organic pots which have a timeless quality. As well he dares new forms and challenges the clay with innovative techniques, coercing from the pliable earth challenging incarnations very much rooted in the now, yet still paying homage to the traditions passed down through the ages.

An organic form slabbed and hollowed out from a block of clay by revolutionary Hagi artist Kaneta Masanao enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Hagi Kurinuki Tokkuri. The vessel is covered in pale smooth glaze, like river-rock, some jagged stone worn smooth and polished by centuries of rushing water. It is 15 cm (6 inches) tall and in excellent condition.
Kaneta Masanao likely needs no introduction, certainly one of Hagi’s most well-known and easily identifiable names. Although an eighth-generation potter inheriting an overtly conservative tradition, he has transcended limitations, and was one of the first to begin carrying Hagi into the 21st century. His work evokes a distinct tension between both function and form, and technique and tradition. he has been displayed both nationally and internationally innumerable times. His pieces are in the collection of the Tokyo National Museum of Modern Art, Yamaguchi Prefectural Museum and Museum of Modern Art Brooklyn. He has been displayed at the Nihon Dento Kogei Ten and Nihon Togei Ten among many many others.

A fabulous little Tsubo excavated from the sea of embers on the floor of an Anagama kiln by Murakoshi Takuma enclosed in the original signed wooden box. The body is entirely encrusted inside and out with a thick layer of charred natural ash encrustations, one side with a rivulet of shiny glass wrapping the neck. It is 15 cm (6 inches) diameter, 20 cm (8 inches) tall and in excellent condition, directly from the artist.
Murakoshi Takuma is one of those enigmas who simply lives to work with clay. He does not seek to make a living through pottery, but through his primal approach has earned a following which keeps his work in high demand. He was born in Aichi prefecture in 1954 and began his stroll down the pottery path in 1980 under the tutelage of Kyoto potter Umehara Takehira. Favoring very rough Shigaraki glaze, he established his own kiln in 1997 in the Kiyomizu pottery district of Kyoto, then moved to Nagaoka in 2002. Although eschewing the world of competitive exhibitions, he has been picked up by many of Japan’s preeminent galleries, including private exhibitions at the prestigious Kuroda Toen of Tokyo’s Ginza District.

Vivid dark ash forms emerald pools in the center of these 5 ogi-men (round fan) shaped slabs by Murakoshi Takuma. Size, shape, color, texture: these are perfect for showing off your signature dish with style. They are roughly 16 x 20 cm (6 x 8 inches), 2 cm (1 inch) thick and in excellent condition, directly from the artist this winter. We have currently not had a box made for these to keep the price and shipping fee down, but one can be prepared if desired for 75 dollars.
Murakoshi Takuma is one of those enigmas who simply lives to work with clay. He does not seek to make a living through pottery, but through his primal approach has earned a following which keeps his work in high demand. If there is anything he is known for, it is without a doubt his legendary status among restaurants and Izakaya as the man to make your food presentation perfect. He was born in Aichi prefecture in 1954 and began his stroll down the pottery path in 1980 under the tutelage of Kyoto potter Umehara Takehira. Favoring very rough Shigaraki glaze, he established his own kiln in 1997 in the Kiyomizu pottery district of Kyoto, then moved to Nagaoka in 2002. Although eschewing the world of competitive exhibitions, he has been picked up by many of Japan’s preeminent galleries, including private exhibitions at the prestigious Kuroda Toen of Tokyo’s Ginza District.

A looping handle of natural bound vine rises from lugs high up on this flattened bottle by Furutani Hirofumi (Churoku II) enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Shigaraki Shizen-yu Tsurutsuki Hen Hana-ire. On flat side is burnt dark with starlight white spots twinkling between shell impressions and rivulets of crystalline green. The other is a smorgasbord of color, from textured black to emerald to all shades of olive and orange. Between rages a battle for space between the two aesthetics. It is 15 x 8.5 x 42.5 cm 5-1/2 x 3-1/4 x 17 inches including the vine handle.
Furutani Hirofumi (b. 1948) is the real deal, a Shigaraki potter trained under his father, recipient of tradition and knowledge who does not say much. After graduating school, he went to work in a large production kiln where he studied firing technique and clay preparation. He then returned to the family studio where he headed up the preparation and firing, while, taking a second position in that respectful Japanese way to his long-lived father, who strictly tortured clay, relying on his son to do all the “real work.” The Japanese title for such a person is: Ennoshita no chikara mochi (The true strength hidden under the eaves). A decade after the passing of Churoku, every day you will find him in search of the natural phenomena born from the dialog between soil and flame and the elements. He oversees kneading and preparing the clay, as well as the kiln work, stacking and preparations for firing, creating his own pieces while allowing his son to take the fore. He is not competing or seeking fame, just quietly making pots in that very Japanese way, treading the path of the Unknown Craftsman.

The ultimate in crusty, a radical charred vessel by Kanzaki Shiho enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Iga Hanaire. Two sides are completely blackened and coated in Koge-charring. Opposite the darkness gives way to tombo-no-me (Dragonfly eyes) with thick encrustations around the base, a stream of yellow cascading down one clefted face. It is 21.5 cm (8-1/2 inches) tall and in excellent condition.
(Kanzaki Shiho (1942-2018) preferred firing his kiln for ten days, resulting in the rich textures and heavy ash deposits apparent on his work. He was born in Shigaraki, and was fast tracked into the Kansai University Law Department, but rather the life of a lawyer, after graduation he went with his heart to take up the precarious life of a potter, apprenticing under Mino artist Matsuyama Suketoshi. Later he returned to Shigaraki working there at the research center while developing his own style and methods with the Anagama. He consistently stayed with the personal world of private exhibitions, developing a large following both at home and abroad and his list of exhibitions is impressive. He has been the subject of several documentaries and Television interviews, and is widely published. For more information see, The Fire Artist, a documentary by Canadian Director Claude Gagnon.

A earth-textured smoky black vase by Sato Kazuhiko enclosed in a superb signed wooden boxwith mori-buta (domed-lid) titled Kokuto Tsubo. It is 34.5 cm (13-1/2 inches) tall and in excellent condition. One of my personal favorites, Sato Kazuhiko was born in Kanagawa prefecture in 1947. He graduated the Tokyo University of Art Ceramic department advanced studies in 1972. Trained under Living National Treasures Tamura Koichi and Fujimoto Yoshimichi, his graduation work was awarded a prize. He held his first solo exhibition the next year, a difficult feat for a young artist. In 1979 his work was displayed in New York’s Bloomingdales Department store, and the following year he was selected for exhibition in Sidney and Melbourne, Australia. Three years later his works would travel to Washington DC and London. From there he blossomed, one can only wonder how he kept up with the demand or the number of exhibitions he was asked for each year. He is a widely displayed artist and author of many books on the ceramic arts. He also plays guitar and piano, self-taught! For more information on this artist see Modern Japanese Ceramics in American Collections (1993).

A delicate white Raku bowl of incredibly light weight, the tall walls like a Japanese castle in the riven clouds by Sugimoto Sadamitsu enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled simply Shiro Chawan. It is 12.5 x 13 x 10 cm (5 x 5-1/8 x 4 inches) and is in excellent condition.
Sugimoto Sadamitsu was born in Tokyo in 1935. A strong adherent to the Zen tradition, Sadamitsu established his own kiln at 33, receiving the kiln name from his mentor Daitokuji priest Tachibana Daiki. His Zen studies have refined the spiritual side of his work, and all of his wood fired ceramics have a quiet and confident power. He has spent his life in the research of kohiki, Shigaraki Iga and Raku wares, and is more than well known in tea circles for the discriminating soul of his works. For more information on this artist see the book Fired with passion : contemporary Japanese ceramics ISBN 1-891640-38-0.

A beautiful example of the iconic Zogan inlayed clay work of Takeuchi Shingo enclosed in the original signed wooden box. The deep bowl swells in the midriff, closing at the rim to concentrate the aroma, with thin sides to allow the warmth to escape to the hands, a perfect bowl for winter tea. It is slightly elongated, 13 x 12 x 8.5 cm (5 x 4-3/4 x 3-1/2 inches) and is in excellent condition.
Takeuchi Shingo(b.1955) hails from Seto city, one of the oldest ceramic production centers in Japan. He studied at the Aichi Prefectural Ceramics Research Facility until 1979, then under the great Kato Shuntei II before establishing his own kiln in 1982. Exhibited at the Asahi Togeiten Ceramics Exhibition, Chunichi Kokusai International Ceramics Exhibition, Nihon Togeiten Ceramics Exhibition, and in innumerable galleries both at home and abroad. He is held in many private and public collections including the Seto Museum, The Korean International Ceramics Foundation, Yingge Ceramics Museum Taiwan and others.

Gold nuggets gleam on the deep lavender and black surface of this organic form by Inayoshi Osamu enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Kurinuki Kinsai Mizusashi. Kinsai is literally gold color, and here the artist has embedded gold into the surface, allowing it to expand and bubble out in the heat of the firing process. The effect of this on the dark matt surface is both striking and original. Kurinuki is the technique of digging a form out of a block of clay, and once again here the artist has then textured the surface with stones. Inside is a striking liquid silver, quite something to see. It is 18cm (7-1/2 inches) diameter 19 cm (rouhly the same) height and in excellent condition, including the original shiori and Shifuku, directly from the artist this summer.
Inayoshi Osamu was born in Aichi prefecture, the heart of Mino country, in 1976. He completed his initial training in the plastic arts at the Seto Pottery School in 2002, garnering an award that same year at the 56th Seto City Art Exhibition. In 2007 he established his own kiln in Toyohashi, and was awarded at the 19th Heart of Oribe Pottery exhibition (again the following year). In 2008 he began to focus on the Atsumi pottery of the Heian and Kamakura periods, building up a unique repertoire. After several more domestic shows and prizes, he had his overseas debut in 2010, and has since received a great deal of attention both at home and abroad.

Wow, a jaw-dropping bowl in igneous black like some volcanic expulsion by Kim Hono enclosed in the original signed wooden box. So impressed was even the artist with this piece that he has drawn an image of the bowl up the side of the box and over onto the lid. It is 11.5 x 13 x 10 cm 4-1/2 x 5 x 4 inches) and in excellent condition.
Kim Hono was born in Seto City Aichi Prefecture in 1958, and graduated the Prefectural Ceramics School in 1977, then taking up apprenticeship at a local kiln before establishing himself as an independent artist in 1982. He held his first solo exhibition in Nagoya in 1985. He has been exhibited at the Nihon Togeiten National Ceramics Exhibition Dento Kogeiten National Traditiaonal Crafts Exhibition, Asahi Togeiten Exhibition, Chunichi Kokusai Togeiten, and his works being shown in some of Japans top galleries including Kuroda Toen in Tokyo’s Ginza ward. Not to be defined, even by himself, famously when asked by Hohnoho Magazine to define his work he cryptically replied only: Kaze wo Kanjiru Koto (Feeling the wind).

A spouted Bottle shaped sake server by veteran potter Wtanabe Takuma enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Bizen Shuki. The artist has taken the idea of the Tokkuri and turned it on its side; literally. He has thrown a bottle, then cut away one side, leaving a thin strip to serve as a handle. The bottom slightly dimpled and voila! A Katakuchi is born. It is roughly 16 cm (6 inches) long 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.

Rivulets of color weep over the dark surface of this striking Fresh water Jar by important artist Tanaka Sajiro enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Chosen Karatsu Hitoeguchi Mizusashi and named inside the box lid Keinoizumi (Auspicious Fountain). The meandering glaze is both inside and out, pooling in a stormy skyscape in the bottom. The vessel features the original oblong custom-made black-lacquered lid. It is 19.5 x 20.5 x 15 cm (roughly 8 inches diameter, 6 inches tall) and in excellent condition.
Born in Kita Kyūshū in 1937, Tanaka Sajiro inundated himself in the Karatsu tradition from an early age. After a brief career in speedboat racing, he entered the ceramic world, beginning at the roots of Japanese pottery with Jomon and Yayoi ware, and he participated in excavations throughout Japan for his research. All the while a keen interest in Buddhism and Zen saw him enter a Buddhist monestary in 1971, and he began studying Sado (the way of tea) Kado (flower arranging) Shodo (calligraphy) and other refined arts. He received his Zen name Zenai HOgetsu in 1975 then created his kiln in Karatsu that same year. His unadorned sensibilities and austere wabi-forms immediately captivated a large audience.

A set of large Abalone Shell Shaped bowls covered in ash glaze with liquid pools of jade green by Murakoshi Takuma enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Hai-yu O-Awabi Bachi. This is one of his most popular forms, and we had to get to the kiln immediately after firing to garner a few sets. Perfect for winter food, Oden or even Niku-jaga. These are 19.5 x 15 x 8 cm (7-3/4 x 6 x 3 inches) and are in perfect condition, from his most recent firing.
Murakoshi Takuma is one of those enigmas who simply lives to work with clay. He does not seek to make a living through pottery, but through his primal approach has earned a following which keeps his work in high demand. He was born in Aichi prefecture in 1954 and began his stroll down the pottery path in 1980 under the tutelage of Kyoto potter Umehara Takehira. Favoring very rough Shigaraki glaze, he established his own kiln in 1997 in the Kiyomizu pottery district of Kyoto, then moved to Nagaoka in 2002. Although eschewing the world of competitive exhibitions, he has been picked up by many of Japan’s preeminent galleries, including private exhibitions at the prestigious Kuroda Toen of Tokyo’s Ginza District.

A jaw-dropping igneous chawan tea bowl by Inayoshi Osamu like a shimmering mineral deposit found deep inside some calcitic limestone cavern. When I asked him about the effects on the surface, he said that he could not wholly explain them, they were some mystery of the kiln, caused during the firing. The bowl is 13.8 x 13 x 9.5 cm (5-1/2 x 5 x 4 inches) and in excellent condition. It comes enclosed in the original signed wooden box with shiori and shifuku, hand-picked from the artist this summer.
Inayoshi Osamu was born in Aichi prefecture, the heart of Mino country, in 1976. He completed his initial training in the plastic arts at the Seto Pottery School in 2002, garnering an award that same year at the 56th Seto City Art Exhibition. In 2007 he established his own kiln in Toyohashi, and was awarded at the 19th Heart of Oribe Pottery exhibition (again the following year). In 2008 he began to focus on the Atsumi pottery of the Heian and Kamakura periods, building up a unique repertoire. After several more domestic shows and prizes, he had his overseas debut in 2010, and has since received a great deal of attention both at home and abroad.

There is a lot of drama and tension between the various facets of this ash encrusted Shigaraki outcrop by Furutani Kazuya enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Shigaraki Mentori Hanaire. (Faceted Vase). Every angle offers a unique view, texture, glazing, form, a vase which you can never grow tired of. I see it with an angular branch of plum blossoms, or perhaps Nandina loaded with red berries. It is 33 cm (13 inches) tall and in excellent condition, directly from the artist.
Furutani Kazuya was born the son of Anagama legend Furutani Michio in 1976. He graduated the Yamaguchi College of Art in 1997, and spent a year at the ceramics research facility in Kyoto before returning to work under his father in Shigaraki. His Father’s sudden death in 2000 pushed Kazuya to the fore, and left him with big shoes to fill. That he has done! Building three Anagama in the following decade and displaying with the National Ceramics Exhibition and a number of private affairs in some of Japan’s top venues.

A fabulous stone textured Guinomi by Inayoshi Osamu enclosed in the original signed wooden box featuring dark raw clay alternating with black and white glaze. Osamu is very low production, and very selective of what he allows out into the world, and I am proud to be able to offer this. It is 7.5 cm (3 inches) diameter, 5.5 cm (2 inches) tall and in excellent condition.
Inayoshi Osamu was born in Aichi prefecture in 1976, the heart of Mino country. He completed his initial training in the plastic arts at the Seto Pottery School in 2002, garnering an award that same year at the 56th Seto City Art Exhibition. In 2007 he established his own kiln in Toyohashi, and was awarded at the 19th Heart of Oribe Pottery exhibition (again the following year). In 2008 he began to focus on the Atsumi pottery of the Heian and Kamakura periods, building up a unique repertoire. After several more domestic shows and prizes, he had his overseas debut in 2010, and has since received a great deal of attention both at home and abroad. He has just moved into a new kiln and workshop this summer, and I am looking forward to what will come out of there this autumn.

This large blossom by Nakazato Hiroko is covered in earthy pastel colors, rising to a voluptuous crescendo of petals. She says:
I am strongly attracted to the objects created by nature.
A lush plant that grows day by day, especially from early spring to early summer.
The expansion of form from bud to flower and the beautiful colors that spread inside...
In recent years, I have felt a strong vitality in these things,
Through the medium of ceramics, I strive to express this feeling the possibility.
It is 25 x 32.5 x 36 cm (10 x 13 x 14 inches) and is in excellent condition, directly from the artist and comes with a signed wooden placard.
Hiroko Nakazato was born in Yokohama in 1966. She graduated the Kyoto City University of Arts with an MA in 1992. She has held over 20 solo exhibitions since. She has been featured in the Nihon Kogeiten Japanese Crafts Exhibition, International Ceramics Festival Mino and the Asahi Contemporary Crafts Exhibition among many others. Her work was awarded at the 5th Mashiko Ceramics Competition in 2004. She also garnered acclaim at the 58th Japan Craft Exhibition as well as the 8th Kikuchi Biennale in 2019. In 2021 she was awarded again at the 9th Kikuchi Biennale. Her work is held in the Kyoto City KYOCERA Museum of Art (Kyoto Municipal Museum of Art) .

This amazing piece, fresh from the kiln in April, is titled Mio, perhaps a play on the artists name, this kanji character meaning water which has pooled and collected. When looking at this piece, all the glaze has run down the body, filling the scalloping exfoliation with pools of lapiz blue. It is 27 x 30 x 58 cm (11 x 12 x 23 inches) and is in excellent condition.
Due to size this will require special shipping consideration.
Yamaguchi Mio was born in Aichi prefecture in 1992, and graduated advanced studies at the Aichi University of Education in 2017. While still at university, her works were selected for show at the JoryuTogei Ten Female Ceramic Artist Association Exhibition (2014). In 2016 she was awarded at the 3rd Kogei in Kanazawa Competition, Grand Prize at the Ceramic Art in the Present Tense Exhibition at the Hagi Uragami Museum as well received the governors prize at the 5oth Female Ceramic Artist Association Exhibition. In 2017 she was selected for the 11th International Ceramics Competition in Mino. She took a job as a teacher, but could not fight the need to create, so enrolled in the Tajimi City Ceramics research facility, graduating in2020. Her work is currently on view in the Chicago Institute of Arts, and was featured on the cover of the catalog for that exhibition, Radical Clay.
According to Mio: I feel that my fascination towards the natural world’s use of repetition, in bee hives and on the surface of corals, appears in my work as I consume and absorb the world around me. I like to believe that these works are natural forms made by my own hands. When I mold clay, I have a sensation that my body and consciousness blends and binds with the material and the natural world. The process of building upon each coil and applying each fold one by one with my hands is a form of meditation. Through this repetitive process I want to be able to convey my thoughts at the time in the texture, such as my struggle of swaying between the desires to live freely and falling under the pressure from societal expectations. It calms me down to observe the fingerprints left in the surface and see the traces of my existence in the clay. These works are products of what I have absorbed around me.

An exquisite chawan tea bowl by Uraguchi Masayuki enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Seiji Hyosai Chawan (Shattered Ice Celadon Tea Bowl). It is 13 cm (5 inches) diameter, 8.5 cm (3-1/2 inches) tall and in perfect condition.
Uraguchi Masayuki (b. 1964) discovered pottery while attending the Tokyo National University of Fine Art and Music and his world turned when he was introduced to a Song Dynasty Seiji Vase" at the Tokyo National Museum designated a National Treasure during one of his art courses. After graduation he met (and studied under) living National Treasure for celadon Miura Koheiji at the Tokyo University of Art. Inspired by the Southern Song celadons as well as the work of Japanese master ceramists Itaya Hazan and Okabe Mineo, Uraguchi spent years personally researching his own celadon glazes and clay bodies types. He finished his post graduate program in 1989, claiming a prize that same year at the National Traditional Arts and Crafts New Works Exhibition (Nihon Dento Kogei Shinsakuten). The following year he would b awarded at the Nitten National Exhibition. In 1991 he established his kiln in Tochigi prefecture. He has since received innumerable awards, including the Asahi Ceramic Art Exhibition, Japan Ceramic Art Exhibition (Nihon Togeiten) among many others. In 1995 he travelled to China to study first-hand the Song guan and Longquan ceramics. In 2001 he moved his Kiln to Hachigocho, Ibaraki Prefecture

Pale crystalized ash covers this igneous form by important artist Atarashi Kanji enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Iga Guinomi. It is 6.6-7 cm (2-1/2 inches) diameter, 5.5 cm tall and in excellent condition, directly from the artist. I highly recommend this with the Tokkuri following.
Atarashi Kanji was born in Osaka in 1944, and graduated the Osaka College of Craft design. After 3 years in Kobe, and 4 in Kishiwada (Wakayama) he came to settle in Iga, where he was one of the driving forces behind the resurrection and preservation of the Iga tradition. Although displayed at the National Craft Fair, he prefers the intimacy of the private exhibition, of which he holds several every year. And if ones visit to japan is not timed right for an exhibition, he can otherwise be found at his kiln working along with his son and daughter.

The colors of the prism show through the thick crackled glaze blanketing this Guinomi, by Kodai Ujiie enclosed in the original signed wooden box. This is a handful, great tactile qualities and entrancing to look at. It is 9-10 cm diameter, 9 cm tall and in excellent condition, directly from a recent firing.
Kodai Ujiie was born in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture in 1990, and graduated advanced studies at the Tohoku University of Art and Design in 2015. Since 2014, he has been hosted at more than half a dozen solo exhibitions, proving the popularity of his work.

A fabulous Mizusashi, quite large with a rugged, natural shape covered in dwan colors of lavender, pink and gray by Hagi icon Kaneta Masanao enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Hagi Hai-Kaburi Kurinuki Mizusashi. It is 8 x 8-1/2 x 9 inches (21 x 22 x 23 cm) and in excellent condition. Kaneta Masanao likely needs no introduction, certainly one of Hagi’s most well-known and easily identifiable names. Although an eighth-generation potter inheriting an overtly conservative tradition, he has transcended limitations, and was one of the first to begin carrying Hagi into the 21st century. His work evokes a distinct tension between both function and form, and technique and tradition. he has been displayed both nationally and internationally innumerable times. His pieces are in the collection of the Tokyo National Museum of Modern Art, Yamaguchi Prefectural Museum and Museum of Modern Art Brooklyn. He has been displayed at the Nihon Dento Kogei Ten and Nihon Togei Ten among many many others.

A 30 cm (1 foot) square cube in oxidized lunar color by Hashimoto Tomonari enclosed in the original signed wooden box. By volume this seems in person much larger than it actually is. Hashimoto Tomonari was born the son of a sculptor and has felt comfortable with the processes of creation since childhood. He graduated with a masters from the Kanazawa University of Art in March 2017, then relocated to Shigaraki. A visit to his humble home studio is eye opening. Although he comes across as shy in conversation, when you move on to the subject of art, he is all confidence. He was named a finalist for the Loewe Craft Prize in 2019 and is making international waves around the world. Work by him is held in the V&A in London, LACMA and a large sculpture has recently been installed in his home prefecture of Wakayama.

Bizen does not get much better than this ash blasted vase with lots of hi-iro coming through by leading artist Mori Tozan enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled simply Bizen Hanaire. It is 26 cm (over 10 inches) tall and in excellent condition.
Mori Tozan was born into one of the six main families of traditional Bizen in 1938. He trained under his illustrious father Mori Chikuzan. He has been awarded many prizes at the Japan Traditional Craft Exhibition, the Japan Ceramic Art Exhibition, and Chunichi International Ceramic Art Exhibition.

A beautiful small wall hanging sculpture by Yamaguchi Mio, titled Kawa (Skin or bark) in rare lavender tinged glaze. It is 19 x 32 x 5.5 cm (8 x 12-1/2 x 2 inches) and is in excellent condition, directly from the artist.
Yamaguchi Mio was born in Aichi prefecture in 1992, and graduated advanced studies at the Aichi University of Education in 2017. While still at university, her works were selected for show at the JoryuTogei Ten Female Ceramic Artist Association Exhibition (2014). In 2016 she was awarded at the 3rd Kogei in Kanazawa Competition, Grand Prize at the Ceramic Art in the Present Tense Exhibition at the Hagi Uragami Museum as well received the governors prize at the 5oth Female Ceramic Artist Association Exhibition. In 2017 she was selected for the 11International Ceramics Competition in Mino. She took a job as a teacher, but could not fight the need to create, so enrolled in the Tajimi City Ceramics research facility, graduating in2020. Her work is currently on view in the Chicago Institute of Arts, and was featured on the cover of the catalog for that exhibition, Radical Clay.
According to Mio: I feel that my fascination towards the natural world’s use of repetition, in bee hives and on the surface of corals, appears in my work as I consume and absorb the world around me. I like to believe that these works are natural forms made by my own hands. When I mold clay, I have a sensation that my body and consciousness blends and binds with the material and the natural world. The process of building upon each coil and applying each fold one by one with my hands is a form of meditation. Through this repetitive process I want to be able to convey my thoughts at the time in the texture, such as my struggle of swaying between the desires to live freely and falling under the pressure from societal expectations. It calms me down to observe the fingerprints left in the surface and see the traces of my existence in the clay. These works are products of what I have absorbed around me.

An organic white form tinged with dusky pink by Kaneta Masanao enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Hagi Haku-yu Yohen Kurinuki Hanaire. It is 23 x 24 x 25.5 cm (9 x 9-1/2 x 10 inches) and in excellent condition.
Kaneta Masanao likely needs no introduction, certainly one of Hagi’s most well-known and easily identifiable names. Although an eighth-generation potter inheriting an overtly conservative tradition, he has transcended limitations, and was one of the first to begin carrying Hagi into the 21st century. His work evokes a distinct tension between both function and form, and technique and tradition. he has been displayed both nationally and internationally innumerable times. His pieces are in the collection of the Tokyo National Museum of Modern Art, Yamaguchi Prefectural Museum and Museum of Modern Art Brooklyn. He has been displayed at the Nihon Dento Kogei Ten and Nihon Togei Ten among many many others.

An absolute classic natural ash glazed sake bottle by the reclusive potter Osako Mikio enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Tokkuri. Most of the surface is covered in ash, tremulous tears of liquefied ash weeping over the charred clay. It is 14 cm tall and in excellent condition.
Osako Mikio (1940-1995), born in Usa Oita prefecture on the Island of Kyushu, arrived at ceramics late in life, starting to study with Ezaki Issei at the Tokonmane ceramic Research Center in 1968 and staying with his teacher until he built his first kiln in 1982.. He received Grand Prize at the International Biennial of Ceramics in Vallauris, France in 1972. Known for his yakishime and ash glazed pottery, His profound understanding of wood firing, post firing and pottery in general was exceptional and his forms and surfaces are mature beyond his years of experience. A fitting quote by Dr. Frederick Baekeland from the catalogue; Modern Japanese Ceramics in American Collections, sums up the true nature of the potter and his pots; “The strong, conventional potting and rich sobriety of Osako’s ceramics appeal to modern taste and accords well with the aesthetic canons of the tea ceremony.”

Deep grooves scored by the artists fingers allow this cup to fit snugly into ones hand, a perfect fit by Murakoshi Takuma enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Sake-nomi. It is 8 x 7 x 6 cm and in perfect condition, directly from the artist.
Murakoshi Takuma is one of those enigmas who simply lives to work with clay. He does not seek to make a living through pottery, but through his primal approach has earned a following which keeps his work in high demand. He was born in Aichi prefecture in 1954 and began his stroll down the pottery path in 1980 under the tutelage of Kyoto potter Umehara Takehira. Favoring very rough Shigaraki glaze, he established his own kiln in 1997 in the Kiyomizu pottery district of Kyoto, then moved to Nagaoka in 2002. Although eschewing the world of competitive exhibitions, he has been picked up by many of Japan’s preeminent galleries, including private exhibitions at the prestigious Kuroda Toen of Tokyo’s Ginza District.

An open basin in the shape of a tea bowl by female artist Okuda Tomoko enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Raku Kohen Hanaire (Kiln altered Raku Vase). It has the feeling mas as if it has grown this way, out of some geologic process, than sculpted out of clay. Large and tactile it is 8 inches (20 cm) diameter, 5 inches (13 cm) tall and in excellent condition.
Okuda Tomoko studied under the great female avant-garde legend Tsuboi Asuka, and lived and worked in Tokoname for 20 years, before returning to her home of Nara in 2014. With a great number of private exhibitions, her works have been exhibited at the Asahi Togeiten Ceramic Exhibition, as well as in America, France and England. She has been awarded the Joryu Togeiten (Female Artist Ceramic Exhibition). Her philosophy is “pottery should be free and supple like a cat, imbued with warmth and grace, leave your heart to the soil and have fun”.

A brooding Tokkuri sake flask by Furutani Taketoshi, the glistening glaze like infidel skies, a storm rapidly approaching, the stone-like surface reaching a crescendo with a dusky bead of glass reaching out to the viewer. It comes enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Shigaraki Shizen-yu Tokkuri. It is 16.5 cm (6-1/2 inches) tall and in excellent condition, directly from the artist.
Furutani Taketoshi was born the son of master craftsman Furutani Hirofumi in 1974, graduating the Shigaraki Industrial High School Ceramics department in 1992 before entering the Shiga prefectural Ceramics Research Facility where he learned first Small Rokuro wheel technique, graduating the following year. In 1993 he would find himself under the tutelage of Suzuki Iwau before re-entering for a second course at the Research Facility, graduating in 1995. From then he returned to the family kiln where he learned in the time-honored tradition from both his grandfather Churoku I and father Hirofumi (Churoku II). In 2013 he was named a Dento Kogeishi Traditional Craftsman. Since he has exhibited consistently at the Japan Traditional Crafts Exhibition. Subverting the self, he makes simple, organic pots which have a timeless quality. As well he dares new forms and challenges the clay with innovative techniques, coercing from the pliable earth challenging incarnations very much rooted in the now, yet still paying homage to the traditions passed down through the ages.

An elongated Kutsugata Chawan, the sloughing ash glaze interrupted by swaths of running iron, which turn to rivulets on the roughly textured outside, while forming a black pool in the center of the bowl. Surprisingly comfortable, it has a definite drinking point at one narrow end, the rich dark lagoon revealed as one tips up to take the last sip. It is 16 x 12 x 8 cm (6-1/4 x 5 x 2-1/4 inches) and is in excellent condition, directly from the artist.
Murakoshi Takuma is one of those enigmas who simply lives to work with clay. He does not seek to make a living through pottery, but through his primal approach has earned a following which keeps his work in high demand. He was born in Aichi prefecture in 1954 and began his stroll down the pottery path in 1980 under the tutelage of Kyoto potter Umehara Takehira. Favoring very rough Shigaraki glaze, he established his own kiln in 1997 in the Kiyomizu pottery district of Kyoto, then moved to Nagaoka in 2002. Although eschewing the world of competitive exhibitions, he has been picked up by many of Japan’s preeminent galleries, including private exhibitions at the prestigious Kuroda Toen of Tokyo’s Ginza District.

A green pool fills the basin of this steep sided bowl, the walls dragged by the fingers by Murakoshi Takuma enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Hai-yu Chawan. Large Shiseki bubbles of white feldspar crystals burst through the surface. It is 12 x 13 x 7.5 cm (4-3/4 x 5 x 3 inches) and is in perfect condition, directly from the artist this Fall.
Murakoshi Takuma is one of those enigmas who simply lives to work with clay. He does not seek to make a living through pottery, but through his primal approach has earned a following which keeps his work in high demand. He was born in Aichi prefecture in 1954 and began his stroll down the pottery path in 1980 under the tutelage of Kyoto potter Umehara Takehira. Favoring very rough Shigaraki glaze, he established his own kiln in 1997 in the Kiyomizu pottery district of Kyoto, then moved to Nagaoka in 2002. Although eschewing the world of competitive exhibitions, he has been picked up by many of Japan’s preeminent galleries, including private exhibitions at the prestigious Kuroda Toen of Tokyo’s Ginza District.

A silver mist box with glass lid by Kondo Takahiro enclosed in the original signed wooden box. It is roughly 4-1/2 x 3 x 4-1/2 inches (11.5 x 7 x 11.5 cm) and is in excellent condition.
Takahiro (b. 1958) was born the grandson of Living National Treasure Kondo Yuzo. However he graduated Hosei University not with a degree in sculpture or crafts, but in Literature. From there he studied at the Kyoto Prefectural Technical Institute of Ceramics, followed by a year at the Kyoto Municipal Institute of Industrial Research. 15 years later he would spend a year in Edinburgh studying glass making, and with this combination of skills, was born the silver mist series for which he is so highly acclaimed. Work by him is held in Museums throughout the world, including the National Museum of Scotland, Brooklyn Museum of Art, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Minneapolis Institute of Arts, Museum of Arts & Design, New York, Spencer Museum of Art, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Art Gallery NSW, Sydney, Hamilton Art Gallery, Australia, Miho Museum. National Gallery of Victoria, Paramita Museum, The Museum of Contemporary Ceramic Art, Shigaraki, and The São Paulo Museum of Art, Brazil among others. Without a doubt one of the most important contemporary artists in Japan today. For more see Celestial Ceramics: the Art of Kondo Takahiro (2002)

An Exhibited pottery box by Watanabe kunio enclosed in the original wooden box titled Iro-e Kin/Gin-Sai KiKaMon ToBako. This piece was featured on the exhibition invitation at the Marue Gallery (included). It measures 9 inches (23 cm) across, 2 inches (5 cm) tall and is in excellent condition.
The first time I saw this artists work I was blown away by the precision, skill and beauty inherent. Kunio was born in Yamanashi Prefecture in 1967, graduating the top Art school in Japan, The Tokyo University of Art Ceramics division in 1994. Very unusual for a young potter, his first private exhibition at the Urawa Isetan Department store the following year, while still attending advanced studies at his alma mater. In 1996 he was accepted into the Dento Kogei Shinsaku-Ten Exhibition as well as the Tokai Dento Togei-Ten and established himself in Seto city. 1997 saw his first acceptance into the National Traditional Crafts Exhibition. In 2000 he was awarded at the Tokai Dento Togei-Ten and has since received numerous awards.

A charred Ash Glazed Mizusashi water container by Kumano Kurouemon enclosed in the original signed wooden box. Glaze is crisp but grows quite liquid as it drips down the molten form. On the side in bold strokes is written "Sonomamani", or "Just as it is".
A ceramic madman, oil painter and recluse, Kuroemon is as eccentric as his pottery predicts. Born in Fukui prefecture in 1955 Kuroemon was a painter from youth, he began his studies under Fujita Jurouemon in 1976, and moved to study also under Toda Soshiro. Invited to the Soviet Union he spent time there and in Sakhalin in the 80s, returning to Japan to build his own kiln in 1987. He was the feature of a major exhibition in Germany in 2004, but aside from a few small exhibitions held in Japan (which quickly sell out) he remains a humble artist holed up in his mountain hermitage and works by him are not easy to acquire.