Kusadasi, Turkey : workshop & exhibition

One of the highlights of my year was my experience traveling to Turkey to
meet more friends in our 'clay family'. I really loved the time there and all of
the awesome history I witnessed.
We had a workshop in the Old Town Tannery of Kusadasi and also a firing on the beach
using raku, obvara and milk firing techniques. Traveled to Ephesus, Bodrum, and
afterwards to beautiful Somas, Greece, finishing our travels in Istanbul.

UNDER ONE SKY @ PlanetHome

B e a u t i f u l  M y s t e r y
    soil<>earth<>ground
     UNDER ONE SKY
*My installation in Mashiko, HIJISAI2015

'Under One Sky' >Mashiko 土祭

Mahiko HIJISAI(Earth Festival) 土祭2015

The Mashiko HIJISAI(Earth Festival) is 9.13-.9.28, starting with the new moon, the harvest moon. In the beginning of my creative journey in Japan, I volunteered years of effort working closely with the creator of this festival, in which I feel my influence is a part of. Regrettably he is gone, but our connection has come full circle with my participation this year. Come experience my outdoor installation, 'Under One Sky'!
１３日から土祭が始まります。
日本に来て間もないころ、僕は馬場さんと出会い、1992年から97年、遊星社で日本のため、益子の未来のためという純粋な思いで、様々な活動をしてきました。
当時語った僕の思いの一部が、20年以上の時を経て、たくさんの人の力が加わり、土祭という形で誕生し、今回参加することは、言葉にできない何かが、自分の中で丸くつながったような気持ちでいます。

Jeju, S. Korea

Recently I was invited to Jeju Island to visit an oasis for artists project, Tamnara. It is the lifetime project begun last year by creator Kang WooHyon.
There, I was made a founding committee member for a new International Ceramix Festival(competition/exhibition/workshop).
Looking forward to the future in Jeju!

 先日チェジュ島のアートプロジェクトに招待され、行ってきました。
新しい祭り（コンペ、展示、ワークショップ）を作っていく基礎のメンバーの一人になりました。これからチェジュの未来が楽しみです！

9.9.2015

Belgium

ベルギー抹茶碗展覧会
Teabowls I made are in the Belgium ChawanExpo2015

Vallauris, France

One of 50 selected by the Vallauris Institute of the Arts, France.
The juried exhibition, URNE, is now showing at C K’OMSA Gallery.

'In Between the Stars'
My inspiration is found within nature and in the beauty of our mystery.
For the project of an 'urn' I imagined this vessel as a house. A house amongst the stars, in which the inside is bigger than the outside.
This is a continuation in a series of works I call, 'Polka Dot Skies'.
We are all dots connecting the universe.


*** Final judging results:
HONORABLE MENTION:
1. Douglas Black- for technique and concept
 

Germany: 'Keramik und Tee'

My chawan are in the Ceramic and Tea Exhibition at the ceramic museum,
Keramikmuseum Westerwald in Germany.

returned home

An incredible family reunion,
good friends......
Big Sky.

Abiquiu

Bandelier

NE Kansas

shocking pink!

April snow on the peach blossoms

水神様

Prayers to our Suijin-sama(Water Goddess).
Our neighborhood. On a cliff above the Naka River

good results!

'Celestial Witness'
2nd chamber, near center, Hamada Shoji Mashiko Noborigama, (first firing in 40 years), -One Kiln for Mashiko Potters 2015

good firing

Shoji Hamada noborigama firing

Hamada Shoji noborigama

 

 Today I had the gratifying experience of loading my ceramics into Hamada Shoji's noborigama.
Hamada's last firing of this kiln was 40 years ago.
While admiring the other local potter members going about loading their own works for this project I considered the history, the kiln's long dormancy since Hamada's passing, and the momentum of the rebuilding since the destruction by the massive earthquake.
I watched how relaxed his grandson Tomoo was going about doing his own works, challenging himself while in charge of such a grand event. A great pleasure indeed.
Today I enjoyed myself witnessing a wonderful thing happen, and had a good time in it.

 

glaze dance :)