Robert Fornell Ceramics

[ginkgo]

I like the work of Koie Ryoji a lot ! and i think you know that work too. He has also developping much of oribe chawan and also sculptures .
I put here a link to one of his piece:
http://www.trocadero.com/stores/Dabido/ ... 38348.html

[Robert Fornell]

I like the work of Koie Ryoji a lot ! and i think you know that work too. He has also developping much of oribe chawan and also sculptures .
I put here a link to one of his piece:
http://www.trocadero.com/stores/Dabido/ ... 38348.html

Hi Ginkgo,

I'm a big fan of Koie Ryoji as well! He's probably one of the more well received artists in Japan today and I had the honor of showing with him in a group show in Kanazawa Japan in 1983. Another "Oribe master" is Suzuki Goro. I love his Oribe chairs and teapots!

http://www.g-goro.com/
http://www.trocadero.com/Dabido/items/9 ... store.html

Best,
R

[ginkgo]

waouh ! what an honor to can expose with him ! I follow his work from 1992 ..i was in love with his way of throwing ( I see at that time some white vessel and it was such a liberty coming from his way of doing....)
I like pieces of Suzuki Goro too ..thanks for the link : in his wbsite I didn't know his incredible teapots ! .... Do you know Suzuki Tomio too ? For me his shinos are "incomparables" as we say in french !

[putibungsu]

Here are two beautiful chawans from Robert Fornell. Was not able to really capture the beauty of the black/blue one though. And the June gloom here is not helping at all! Will try taking more pics once the "real" summer arrives.





Rob, thanks again for taking the time to show my husband and me your studio - what a gorgeous setting- and amazing work! Cheers, Dina

[Robert Fornell]

Thank you Dina and Ken for stopping by and my apologies for my flu condition at the time. I hope you had a great stay in Seattle and do come again..... we miss the CA sunshine that you brought with you!

Below please find another Tengu piece from my little chawangama..... and thanks for looking.

Best,
R

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[putibungsu]

Thanks Rob! No need to apology please. You didn't plan it, right We had a great visit. We'll make sure to bring the CA sunshine with us again next time

Is that the younger sister of the sake cup I got? Pretty.

[bonjiri]

hey robert

nice seeing you in tokyo !

hey, that last gui or chawan looks like a glaze i've been firing.

seems it turns red/orange.... is it because of oxidation or reduction ? underfire or overfire ?

c

[iannon]

hey robert

nice seeing you in tokyo !

hey, that last gui or chawan looks like a glaze i've been firing.

seems it turns red/orange.... is it because of oxidation or reduction ? underfire or overfire ?

c

All you..you... Jetsetters!

[Robert Fornell]

Dina it was great meeting you and Ken, and yes this chawan is a younger relative of the piece you bought from me a month or so ago.

Cory, I enjoyed the company as well and thought that the show/sale at the Tokyo Art Dealers Assn. we went to was awesome. As you mentioned it was like being in a museum with the exception that you could pick up and hold all the work. The hands tell much..... Thanks to Kitamoto-san for the heads up on that!

Also in Tokyo I met with Shimada Fumio at Tokyo University of the Arts and while there saw that fellow TCer JBaymore had preceeded me leaving behind a wonderful vase which was on display in the ceramics studio. Way to go JB!

Best from Kyoto,
R

[JBaymore]

Also in Tokyo I met with Shimada Fumio at Tokyo University of the Arts and while there saw that fellow TCer JBaymore had preceeded me leaving behind a wonderful vase which was on display in the ceramics studio. Way to go JB!

Robert,

Yeah... there are a few of my pots hiding in various interesting places around Japan .

How's the weather over there? It is feeling a bit like Japan in the summer here in the Northeast at the moment. Spent most of the day yesterday soaking wet with sweat. Ahhh.... fond memories .

Hope you said "hi" to Shimada-sensei for me . I have been a guest lecturer there at Geidai (Tokyo National University of Fine Art and Music....or whatever that name is now that they just changed it again) twice. I first met Shimada-sensei at an NCECA conference years and years ago. That is one heck of a program they have there.

I miss Japan.... but it is good to spend time at home for a summer.

Hope your time in Japan is fun and productive.

best,

..................john

[Robert Fornell]

Also in Tokyo I met with Shimada Fumio at Tokyo University of the Arts and while there saw that fellow TCer JBaymore had preceeded me leaving behind a wonderful vase which was on display in the ceramics studio. Way to go JB!

Robert,

Yeah... there are a few of my pots hiding in various interesting places around Japan .

How's the weather over there? It is feeling a bit like Japan in the summer here in the Northeast at the moment. Spent most of the day yesterday soaking wet with sweat. Ahhh.... fond memories .

Hope you said "hi" to Shimada-sensei for me . I have been a guest lecturer there at Geidai (Tokyo National University of Fine Art and Music....or whatever that name is now that they just changed it again) twice. I first met Shimada-sensei at an NCECA conference years and years ago. That is one heck of a program they have there.

I miss Japan.... but it is good to spend time at home for a summer.

Hope your time in Japan is fun and productive.

best,

..................john

Hi John,

For the most part the weather has been pretty awesome, or perhaps I'm just handling it better. Had a couple of hot/muggy days in Tokyo and a day or rain here in Kyoto yesterday, but for the most part it's been quite nice.

I met Shimada-sensei, along with Toyofuku-sensei and staff last Monday
regarding me doing work at Geidai for a year or so starting next spring. I have to take the details home and have a few discussions, but I am excited about the opportunity to be working here in Japan again and doing it at Geidai.

Yesterday I went out to Moriyama, which is about 30 min from Kyoto to the Sagawa art museum to see their collection of the current Raku Kichizaemon's work which was fabulous. The musuem was quite amazing as well as Raku-san had designed both the gallery his work was in which was underneath a pond with the skylights in the gallery being underwater as well, and the chashitsu. Definately a stop to add to the pottery tours I've been doing.

Opening the catalogue from the exhibition, the first thing I read made a profound impression on me.

"Rules and manners-
obey them to the limit(shu)
break them(ha)
even leave them(ri)
but never forget their fundamentals(hon)"

I'll try to post few shots from the museum later.....

Best from Kyoto,
R

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[JBaymore]

ほんとに。Aha,.... Geidai huh? 　すごいい。Temporary visiting professor situation? Or are you looking at the Ph.D. program for yourself?

The Sagawa Art Musuem sounds awesome. I have never gotten there. I'll have to try to do that the next time I am in Kyoto. Thanks for the info.

Have fun.

best,

..........john

[Robert Fornell]

ほんとに。Aha,.... Geidai huh? 　すごいい。Temporary visiting professor situation? Or are you looking at the Ph.D. program for yourself?

The Sagawa Art Musuem sounds awesome. I have never gotten there. I'll have to try to do that the next time I am in Kyoto. Thanks for the info.

Have fun.

best,

..........john

Hi John,

Shimada-sensei has offered me a position as a research professor as the Phd degree, while it looks good on paper, probably doesn't have much merit in the states where the terminal degree is the Masters which I have. Besides...... I'd rather be making pots than writing a thesis.

I stopped by Urasenke today and met with a tea friend and walked away with a sense of reverence......

Best,
R

[bonjiri]

robert
aloha !

glad you connected w/ shimada sensei
THAT IS WONDERFUL, AWESOME NEWS ! please keep us posted on final developments ! FANTASTIC !
we gotta celebrate your meeting ! WOW ! cool

lets kampai in tokyo before u fly back to SEATAC

cheers

the sagawa museum is amazing ! hehe !

the recent catalog of raku kichizaemon's works are phenomenal.
moving to say the least.

cheers
safe travels.
pls msg me . email is best if u got time for a quick dinner in tokyo

cheers
cory

[JBaymore]

Shimada-sensei has offered me a position as a research professor as the Phd degree, while it looks good on paper, probably doesn't have much merit in the states where the terminal degree is the Masters which I have.

That is a totally awesome offer, Robert. CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!! The significance of the invitation (or even the Doctorate) may not be understoond much here in the USA ..... but in your case you spend enough time in Japan that it would have HUGE respect there. I know even my very, very minor "guest lecturer" stints at Geidai really have a huge impact in Japan when people learn that I have been asked to do that.

For those reading this outside Japan and who do not know about Geidai (Tokyo National University of Fine Art and Music), to understand the significance and prestige of this invitation for Robert.........

That school is considered by many the most difficult college to get into in Japan. Not just art schools...... all schools. It has the reputation in Japan, where the arts are generally highly reguarded, about like Harvard, Yale, Princeton, and MIT combined. The acceptance rate is VERY low and the graduate program has a far lower acceptance than the undergrad. The entrance examination is a bear. To be offered such a position there is a high honor.

おめでとございますよ。I know I'm impressed.

http://www.geidai.ac.jp/english/index.html

best,

...........john