Clay Craft

Bowl From The Swat Valley Region Pakistan.

2011-06-26T09:43:00.000-07:00

Hank's Show in Eugene

2011-06-03T11:45:00.000-07:00

The White Lotus gallery and my "Tea & Sake" display.........

Shimaoka's Yohen Chamber.

2011-06-03T06:39:00.000-07:00

Even in his 80s, Shimaoka Sensei loaded this chamber himself.

The Leusive Tea Bowl Workshop. Thanks http://cartergilliespottery.wordpress.com/

2011-05-28T06:57:00.001-07:00

Old Redwing Pottery Photos

2011-05-27T07:58:00.000-07:00

Old Redwing Pottery Photos

2011-05-27T07:56:00.000-07:00

Old Redwing Pottery Photos

2011-05-27T07:55:00.000-07:00

Old Redwing Pottery Photos

2011-05-27T07:53:00.000-07:00

Redwing Train Kiln, Today

2011-05-27T06:54:00.000-07:00

The seats are just "kidding around."

2011-05-20T10:49:00.000-07:00

Tenmoku Or Temmoku?

2010-05-10T15:16:00.000-07:00

If you want to know how the Japanese say it, it is easiest to understand if you look in a dictionary. I use this one:

http://www.csse.monash.edu.au/~jwb/wwwjdic.html

天目【てんもく】
Te n mo ku

It is the Japanese pronunciation of the Chinese: Tien mu Shan = "Mountain of the Eye of Heaven" , a mountain in Chechiang provice, China. This is where a monastary was where Eihei Dogen studied and from where he brought the first tenmoku bowl from China to Japan in 1228. Kato Shirozaemon Kagemasa was a monk who traveled with Dogen and he came back and established the new technology kilns in Seto that he learned about in Sung China. So, as you can see, it is difficult to separate Zen from the pottery we love. ;^)

　 A black glaze used on straight-sided conical tea bowls known as tenmoku ware, tenmoku 天目. The glaze contains iron salts which turn back when they are oxidized in a kill. If the iron content is low, a yellow-brown or liver-brown glaze called *ameyuu 飴釉 is produced. If iron content is high, it creates a red-brown glaze called *kakiyuu 柿釉. It originated in China in the 11-8c BC, and typifies Song period (960-1179) Jian ware, kenyou 建窯, from Fujian-shen province. Example were brought to Japan in the Kamakura period (13-14c) by monks studing in China, at the end of the Song period, and imitated, for example in Seto. By the momoyama period, (late 16c), high-quality Japanese black glazes like kokkatsuyuu 黒褐釉 (made in Seto), setoguro 瀬戸黒 and oribekuro 織部黒 (made in Mino, Gifu prefecture) had developed. Tenmoku ware was used by the Japanese aristocracy for tea ceremony, and gradually, all black or black-brown glaze became known as tenmokuyuu.

tenmoku and related teabowls.

2010-05-10T15:15:00.000-07:00

IMG_3728.JPG

2010-02-27T14:54:00.005-08:00

IMG_3728.JPG, originally uploaded by claycraft.

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IMG_3727.JPG

2010-02-27T14:54:00.003-08:00

IMG_3727.JPG, originally uploaded by claycraft.

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IMG_3726.JPG

2010-02-27T14:54:00.001-08:00

IMG_3726.JPG, originally uploaded by claycraft.

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Photo

2010-02-27T14:42:00.001-08:00

Photo, originally uploaded by claycraft.

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Glaze Test

2010-02-27T14:36:00.003-08:00

Glaze Test, originally uploaded by claycraft.

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Glaze Test

2010-02-27T14:36:00.001-08:00

Glaze Test, originally uploaded by claycraft.

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test

2010-01-30T08:59:00.001-08:00

test, originally uploaded by claycraft.

--
Lee Love in Minneapolis
mingeisota.blogspot.com/
"The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful
servant. We have created a society that honors the servant and has forgotten
the gift." -- Albert Einstein

Sample Shot with Hank's Setup, diffusion screens about 20" above and somewhat in front of the subjects.

2010-01-25T21:12:00.001-08:00

Hank's photo setup, with Formica grey that matches a Kodak grey card, and diffused light source overhead.

2010-01-25T21:02:00.001-08:00

Mino Shino

2010-01-18T17:22:00.000-08:00

Mino Shino with low melt spodumene and no soda ash. Inlayed and Woodfired.

Detail of Corner of Box.......

2010-01-14T20:53:00.001-08:00

...... showing hardwood pegs. Superb......... Brava Chikako! of
wabiarts.com

Chabako Open, Showing Tray for Wiping Cloth and Scoop.....

2010-01-14T20:51:00.001-08:00

Chabako means 'Tea-in-a-box'........

Box shown full of Tea Implements......

2010-01-14T20:50:00.001-08:00

...... Tea jar, scoop, Chawan in bag; all in signed Kiri box.

A Box for a Soft-faceted Bowl........

2010-01-14T20:48:00.001-08:00

..... the lid slides down into the slots.

Here it is open, showing the contents........

2010-01-14T20:47:00.001-08:00

..... and note that under the floor there is space for the ribbon to
cross.

Presentation Boxes from wabiarts.com.......

2010-01-14T20:46:00.001-08:00

...... this one is for a sushi server.

test

2010-01-08T09:58:00.001-08:00

test, originally uploaded by claycraft.

:Happy Birthday Elvis!

Square Bottles

2009-12-11T09:55:00.000-08:00

The first is a Hamada kokubin. Second, an altered to square bottle by Hamada, then a Shimaoka neriage kobubin and lastly, my homage to the kokubin: a thrown and altered bottle.

Bill Geisinger asked about Hank's Copper Yellow.....

2009-11-17T10:04:00.001-08:00

Bill Geisinger asked about Hank's Copper Yellow....., originally uploaded by claycraft.

..... which must be fired in Oxidation to C9_10, and loves soak in Ox
during the cooling around 1900F. Thickness sensitive!

Hank's Yunomi with dots of wood ash to test his chaire hunch.....

2009-11-17T09:12:00.001-08:00

Hank's Yunomi with dots of wood ash to test his chaire hunch....., originally uploaded by claycraft.

....... sort of resemble several spyholes!

chaire?.jpg

2009-11-16T20:17:00.001-08:00

chaire?.jpg, originally uploaded by claycraft.

Pair of Natsume? and a tiny(1.5" h.) Chaire. Plate is 7.5" d.

Natsume?.jpg

2009-11-16T20:15:00.001-08:00

Natsume?.jpg, originally uploaded by claycraft.

Chaire of 20 years ago, 2.25" h, salted porcelains. Tall jar was for
grain.

My Mizusashi and a 'Chaire' of nine years past........

2009-11-16T20:13:00.001-08:00

My Mizusashi and a 'Chaire' of nine years past........, originally uploaded by claycraft.

The Chaire is about 2.25" h, and the Mizusashi has a Bubinga lid.

To Further the Continuing Discussion on Tea Jars.........

2009-11-16T20:12:00.001-08:00

To Further the Continuing Discussion on Tea Jars........., originally uploaded by claycraft.

....................I use this one for bulk storage of ordinary
Sencha. 8" h, copper 'yellow' glaze.

And the last of Hank's Natsume, with Bev's 'Night' scrap glaze.....

2009-11-15T18:30:00.001-08:00

And the last of Hank's Natsume, with Bev's 'Night' scrap glaze....., originally uploaded by claycraft.

....... and a "3 sages" carved knob.........

The Natsume in closeup...... "3 Sages" carved nut......

2009-11-15T18:29:00.001-08:00

The Natsume in closeup...... "3 Sages" carved nut......, originally uploaded by claycraft.

....... look for them at your local bead store.

Another of Hank's Natsume with 'Swan' knob and yellow beak......

2009-11-15T18:25:00.001-08:00

Another of Hank's Natsume with 'Swan' knob and yellow beak......, originally uploaded by claycraft.

......and glazed with Bev's 'Tortoiseshell' scrap glaze.

.... & a closeup of the celadon 'Swan' with yellow beak......

2009-11-15T18:24:00.001-08:00

.... & a closeup of the celadon 'Swan' with yellow beak......, originally uploaded by claycraft.

.......... using a Degussa stain in the celadon base.

Hank's Natsume with porcelain bird knob.......

2009-11-15T18:18:00.001-08:00

Hank's Natsume with porcelain bird knob......., originally uploaded by claycraft.

........ on a natsume(teajar) glazed with Bev's 'Night' scrap glaze.

..... & the Knob, celadon on porcelain with black beak.

2009-11-15T18:17:00.001-08:00

..... & the Knob, celadon on porcelain with black beak., originally uploaded by claycraft.

..... A 'Swan' Natsume, and Chashaku in a Kiri Box........

2009-11-15T16:28:00.001-08:00

..... A 'Swan' Natsume, and Chashaku in a Kiri Box........, originally uploaded by claycraft.

...........signed and stamped.

Solo.........

2009-11-15T16:26:00.001-08:00

Solo........., originally uploaded by claycraft.

......... and with.........

Another Chawan to Dress.......

2009-11-15T16:24:00.001-08:00

Another Chawan to Dress......., originally uploaded by claycraft.

....... so again, one of Bev's bags.......

With a Natsume, Chashaku, in a Signed & Stamped Kiri Box

2009-11-15T15:38:00.001-08:00

With a Natsume, Chashaku, in a Signed & Stamped Kiri Box, originally uploaded by claycraft.

......... value added!

........ Something to Allude to the Richness Inside..........

2009-11-15T15:35:00.001-08:00

........ Something to Allude to the Richness Inside.........., originally uploaded by claycraft.

.......... and then box it........

What to do with a special chawan?

2009-11-15T15:32:00.001-08:00

What to do with a special chawan?, originally uploaded by claycraft.

...... make a bag for it........

...... and undressed.

2009-11-04T10:54:00.001-08:00

...... and undressed., originally uploaded by claycraft.

Hank Murrow's Chawan in a bag by Bev......

2009-11-04T10:53:00.001-08:00

Hank Murrow's Chawan in a bag by Bev......, originally uploaded by claycraft.

And the finished mugs lapped with an 800 grit diamond pad......

2009-10-21T19:23:00.001-07:00

And the finished mugs lapped with an 800 grit diamond pad......, originally uploaded by claycraft.

...... no scratches on the furniture!

Then one can make their mark on the bottom.....

2009-10-21T19:15:00.001-07:00

Then one can make their mark on the bottom....., originally uploaded by claycraft.

..... And the piece is ready for adding a handle, bisquing, and glazing.

.....Which is rocked 'round & 'round on the glass.......

2009-10-21T19:08:00.001-07:00

.....Which is rocked 'round & 'round on the glass......., originally uploaded by claycraft.

......until the foot is flattened a bit........

The Stick is angled to turn the wall into a foot........

2009-10-21T19:07:00.001-07:00

The Stick is angled to turn the wall into a foot........, originally uploaded by claycraft.

Rolling continues to build up a 'wall'........

2009-10-21T19:00:00.001-07:00

Rolling continues to build up a 'wall'........, originally uploaded by claycraft.

.....and when there's enough clay moved out in this way........

Trimming with a Stick!

2009-10-21T18:07:00.001-07:00

Trimming with a Stick!, originally uploaded by claycraft.

by rolling the mug on glass with a stick to form a 'wall'........

And some of my bisque, glazed with CoryJane......

2009-09-10T11:28:00.001-07:00

And some of my bisque, glazed with CoryJane......, originally uploaded by claycraft.

.... both stoneware and porcelain, for Liz to take home....... warm,
like Jane and her daughter!

..... and another tile....

2009-09-10T11:25:00.001-07:00

..... and another tile...., originally uploaded by claycraft.

..... It was good to be able to honor my old mentor and partner in
the Venice PotShop in this way, 18 years after her passing.

Here are the tiles...... which will be set in barnwood frames.....

2009-09-10T11:21:00.001-07:00

Here are the tiles...... which will be set in barnwood frames....., originally uploaded by claycraft.

........ and distributed to her family and friends.

Human ash glaze..... Jane Heald's daughter asked me......

2009-09-10T11:13:00.001-07:00

Human ash glaze..... Jane Heald's daughter asked me......, originally uploaded by claycraft.

..... to make a glaze of her Mother's ashes so she could glaze some
tiles she made in my studio last May. I used "Cory's Weird" as a
base, in part because Cory met Jane before he died in a tractor
accident. I subbed Jane's ashes for 16% of the 32% bone ash called
for in Cory's recipe, which is published in Ian Currie's "Revealing
Glazes". Here are the tests, striped with Yellow Degussa stain, FE,
Fe/Ru, FE, & FeP on stoneware, and CoMelange, FE, and Fe/Ru on
porcelain.

Guinomi from the anagama firing......

2009-08-28T12:36:00.001-07:00

Guinomi from the anagama firing......, originally uploaded by claycraft.

All glazed with Hank's Shino, from all parts of the kiln, showing a
range of place-dependant effects.

Shino Chawan with flyash........ a racer.

2009-08-27T23:00:00.001-07:00

Shino Chawan with flyash........ a racer., originally uploaded by claycraft.

All these woodfire pots use a non-vitreous body that remains 'soft'
after even a C14 firing.

Two of Hank's Guinomi and a Katakuchi.....

2009-08-27T22:04:00.001-07:00

Two of Hank's Guinomi and a Katakuchi....., originally uploaded by claycraft.

...... made by John Dix of Kobe, Japan.

Tea jar & Shino Chawan

2009-08-27T21:58:00.001-07:00

Tea jar & Shino Chawan, originally uploaded by claycraft.

Porcelain tea jar and woodfired chawan with Hank's Shino....... 100
hour firing, 1 week to cool.

More from the Jewel Creek Anagama.....

2009-08-27T21:54:00.001-07:00

More from the Jewel Creek Anagama....., originally uploaded by claycraft.

Pulled black chawan, re-glazed with Hank's Shino and re-fired in my
gas kiln.

American Redware.

2009-08-16T12:12:00.000-07:00

This Issue Of American Craft Magazine

2009-08-12T10:04:00.000-07:00

Wide World of Craft

The Twin Cities—A Mecca for Craft

In the last several decades, Minnesota has developed a rich array of craft institutions.

BY Michael Fallon
PHOTOGRAPHY BY Cameron Wittig

Minneapolis and St. Paul may struggle with an image of long, ice-cold winters, but craftspeople can warm to the many opportunities and organizations that present themselves in the beautiful land of 10,000 lakes. Lovers of craft in the Twin Cities of Minnesota have an enviable number of options. They can visit nationally renowned member-based organizations such as the Minnesota Center for Book Arts, the Northern Clay Center, the Textile Center of Minnesota and the Gallery of Wood Art. They can see exhibitions of valuable museum-based collections of craft at such institutions as the Goldstein Museum of Design, Weisman Art Museum and the Minneapolis Institute of Art; or they can shop at sundry for-profit and artist-run ventures like the Xylos Gallery, Century Studios, the Grand Hand Gallery, the Art Resources Gallery and the Frank Stone Gallery. (Even the Walker Art Center, not usually focused on craft, is presenting a clay show this fall.) With so much to choose from, it’s difficult to imagine that only 30 years ago none of this existed.

http://www.americancraftmag.org/toc.php?id=8226

Boldness has genius, power and magic in it!

2009-08-10T07:39:00.000-07:00

I like to share this quote at least once a year:

"But when I said that nothing had been done I erred in one important matter. We had definitely committed ourselves and were halfway out of our ruts. We had put down our passage money--booked a sailing to Bombay. This may sound too simple, but is great in consequence. Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness. Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, the providence moves too. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one's favor all manner of unforeseen incidents, meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamt would have come his way. I learned a deep respect for one of Goethe's couplets:

Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it.
Boldness has genius, power and magic in it!"

W.H. Murray

Source: The Scottish Himalaya Expedition

From Ann Holme's The Transition Of The Artisan-Potter To The Artist-Potter In Mashiko, A Folkware Kiln Site In Japan.

2009-08-09T07:46:00.000-07:00

In 1924, Hamada held his first one-man exhibition at the Kyukiodo Gallery in Tokyo. It was a sell-out, shocking the Mashiko potters who had not taken his work seriously up to that time. They were astonished at the high prices asked by Hamada, and even more so, that the work actually sold. Gradually, the Mashiko potters began to take pride in the recognition Hamada received from the public and the honor conferred upon the town, which was brought out of its former obscurity by being acknowledged as the home of the famous Shoji Hamada.
In his early pottery, Hamada tried to adapt old Mashiko folkware designs and forms. His extensive knowledge of the Chinese Sung pottery and Korean Silla and Yuan pottery served as a resource for his own developing style. The pottery he made when he first came to Mashiko bore little if any resemblance to the native Mashiko kitchenware and tableware, yet it was compatible with the folk pottery genre. Hamada was able to bring out the best qualities from past and present folkware, imparting his aesthetic awareness to an age-old tradition. He researched glazes and design from the history of Oriental ceramics and rediscovered old techniques which he adapted to contemporary folkware.

As Hamada investigated these elements from the past, another dimension came into his work. He was no longer a researcher but an artist-potter who consciously directed the outcome of his pottery. Although his approach was eclectic, his experimentation and manipulation of the Oriental techniques imparted a freshness and vision to folk pottery which had formerly been a tradition of skilled technicians. He was a known potter working in the tradition of the unknown potter. The unpretentious beauty of everyday pottery turned out by artisans with an instinctive feeling for function and simplicity of form was revived by Hamada as an aesthetic for the new artist-potter.
(Lee's note: The bottle is a Chinese shape, the sugar cane decoration is from Okinawa and so is the enamel decoration.)

A second pulled black chawan.... that was 'rescued'......

2009-06-18T14:06:00.001-07:00

A second pulled black chawan.... that was 'rescued'......, originally uploaded by claycraft.

....by re-glazing with hank's Shino and re-fired in James' gas kiln.

Shino chawan left in kiln in the middle of the stack....

2009-06-18T14:05:00.001-07:00

Shino chawan left in kiln in the middle of the stack...., originally uploaded by claycraft.

.... and re-fired in james' gas kiln to Cone 10.

view of the middle of the stack.....

2009-06-18T14:03:00.001-07:00

view of the middle of the stack....., originally uploaded by claycraft.

The view of the front part of the stack on opening.....

2009-06-18T14:02:00.001-07:00

The view of the front part of the stack on opening....., originally uploaded by claycraft.

....very heavy ashfall, the right side stoke was directly over
Jennifer's laid down bottle...........

After 94 hours, the kiln is basted with clay/grog and left to cool for six days....

2009-06-18T14:00:00.001-07:00

After 94 hours, the kiln is basted with clay/grog and left to cool for six days...., originally uploaded by claycraft.

..... amidst much anticipation.

Ken Pincus stokes the rear port...... only two of....

2009-06-18T13:58:00.001-07:00

Ken Pincus stokes the rear port...... only two of...., originally uploaded by claycraft.

....the five sidestokes were used for fuel; the other three were used
for pulling chawan and guinomi.

Arthur and James stoke @ Cone 13+....

2009-06-18T13:54:00.001-07:00

Arthur and James stoke @ Cone 13+...., originally uploaded by claycraft.

The kiln had been above Cone 10 for 45 hours at this point.

Tom Kearcher rakes the coal bed @ C13! Jim assists & Hank cheers......

2009-06-14T19:55:00.001-07:00

Tom Kearcher rakes the coal bed @ C13! Jim assists & Hank cheers......, originally uploaded by claycraft.

....them on. We were 94 hours firing, with 70 hours above C10!

Hank's the same black hikidashi Chawan, re-glazed with shino......

2009-06-14T19:34:00.001-07:00

Hank's the same black hikidashi Chawan, re-glazed with shino......, originally uploaded by claycraft.

and fired again. The unmelted(even @ C13!) crawly-black Andesite
glaze shows through the shino in nice ways. Good for Tea!

Hank pulls a black andesite chawan @ C13 from the stoke hole.......

2009-06-14T19:31:00.001-07:00

Hank pulls a black andesite chawan @ C13 from the stoke hole......., originally uploaded by claycraft.

..... coming out unmelted and crawly...... no good for Tea!

And a whole shino chawan by Shigemasa.....

2009-04-28T10:40:00.001-07:00

And a whole shino chawan by Shigemasa....., originally uploaded by claycraft.

..... and a 'pulled Seto' black chawan.

Shard from one of Shigemasa Higashida's shino chawan.....

2009-04-28T10:37:00.001-07:00

Shard from one of Shigemasa Higashida's shino chawan....., originally uploaded by claycraft.

.... showing pinkish firecolor which Hank believes comes from high-
potassium feldspar.

Bamboo Things At Mashiko Hardware.

2009-02-27T08:37:00.000-08:00

Japanese Gas/Electric Hybrid Kiln

2009-02-03T06:47:00.000-08:00

The Future of Electric Kilns is Here, If we want to pay for it.

"Air and Simple Gifts", composed by John Williams

2009-01-20T15:59:00.001-08:00

Yo-Yo Ma , Itzhak Perlman , Anthony McGill & Gabriela Montero at the Obama Inauguration

Another chawan by Hank......

2009-01-04T20:32:00.001-08:00

Another chawan by Hank......, originally uploaded by claycraft.

.... made from Ko-shigaraki clay and fired the same way. The color is
orangey rather than the pink of old shino, due probably to the sodium
rich spar. Perhaps a potassium spar would yield the pink?

Chawan made by Hank in Mashiko.....

2009-01-04T20:29:00.001-08:00

Chawan made by Hank in Mashiko....., originally uploaded by claycraft.

........from Ko-shigaraki clay and fired in my gas kiln in Eugene OR
with a long soak in oxidation around 1900F during the cooling.

Snowfall Globe 2008

2008-12-18T09:08:00.001-08:00

Snowfall Globe 2008, originally uploaded by claycraft.

My newest work for the season, Lee M.

--
Lee Middleman
www.LeeMiddleman.com
email: Lee@LeeMiddleman.com
Studio Phone: 650.851.0295
Fax Phone: 650.851.6032
Skype: leemiddleman