Japanese Arita Porcelain
Hello! After a break from the blog, I am returning with this post about Arita porcelain. These wares are made around Arita in Nishimatsuura district, Saga prefecture, on the Japanese island of Kyūshū. […]
Ash Glazes
Many materials burn or melt in the heat of a ceramic kiln. Plant ash is among the most traditional glaze ingredients, especially in East Asian ceramics, and is associated with celebrated glazes such as celadon, chun and tenmoku. […]
Translucency in Hotaru-de Ceramics
Hotaru-de, literally “firefly hand”, involves piercing a ceramic piece, covering it with glaze and firing it. The glaze closes the openings in the surface, producing the distinctive decorative effect discussed in this article. […]
Shibui and the Buddhist Ideal of Beauty
Continuing my exploration of Japanese aesthetics, I turn to shibui. Drawing on Sōetsu Yanagi, I discuss the tea ceremony, the appreciation of chawan and the relationships between restraint, simplicity and the Buddhist ideal of beauty.
Japanese Bizen Ceramics
Hello! Last week we explored the elegance of Chinese Song-dynasty ceramics. Today we will consider the strength of Japanese Bizen ware, whose origins lie in high-fired Sue ceramics from the Kofun period, dated here to the 3rd–7th centuries CE. […]
Following a Firing in a Noborigama Kiln
Hello! At the end of June I visited the Suenaga e Jardineiro studio near Cunha, São Paulo, Brazil. The town has become a centre for studio and artistic ceramics. The studio is run by potters Kimiko Suenaga and Gilberto Jardineiro. […]
Lost in Translation: Wabi-Sabi
After living in Japan for three years, I realise I have only scratched the surface of Japanese culture. Through wabi-sabi, translation and the reflections of tea master Sōshin Kimura, I explore how understanding aesthetic ideas can deepen our appreciation of Japanese ceramics.
Tomobako – Don’t Throw the Box Away!
In the West, a box is often overlooked once a gift or purchase has been unpacked. We may see it simply as packaging to discard, telling us little about its contents beyond their name or type. A tomobako offers another perspective. […]
Raku in the West
Hello! As I explained in the previous post, Raku practice differs between Japan and the West. Here I will share my own Raku experience in Brazil, at Newton de Mello’s studio in Barra da Tijuca, Rio de Janeiro. […]
Shall we talk about raku? :-)
Hello! I am starting this blog to share knowledge about ceramics. We are surrounded by them—in bathrooms, kitchens and floors—often without noticing. Here, however, I would like to explore their artistic dimension, the origins of techniques and the fascination of transforming materials. […]