Handcrafted pottery question

[RoseWood]

Hello all,

I've noticed something about much of the handcrafted pottery and I hope y'all can shed some light for me.

The cups (particularly) often look kinda.... "rustic"... lumpy and bumpy with uneven rims, etc. I know the effect is done on purpose because a teapot by the same artist will be exceptionally well-formed.

So...what's up with that?

[edkrueger]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wabi-sabi

[JBaymore]

Rosewood,

You might want to post this question in the "Ask the Artisan" section in the Teaware Artisan's section at the bottom of the forum structure. You might get more responses there.

I think it depends a LOT on which artists works you are looking at. Not all handcrafted work has these attributes by any means.

That being said, a lot of the Teaware Artisans here on TeaChat are influcenced anywhere from a little bit to a lot by the Japanese Chado aesthetic, which has been impacted greatly since the 16th century by an aesthetic that embraces the asymetrical and the casual.

Look up the terms "wabi" and "sabi" and "wabi-sabi" to get a feel for the background of this approach to teaware objects and art in general.

Hence the frequent use you see here of what is often termed as "loose" forming methods over the more symmetrical ones, that are often refered to as "tight".

A good potter chooses the approach to the clay. It is a collaboration with the material. It can be tight or loose and still be good.

best,

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

EDIT: Ah... I see Ed gave you a link to "wabi-sabi" there which I was writing.

[Peacock]

http://nobleharbor.com/tea/chado/WhatIsWabi-Sabi.htm

The link above is also a really good read.

[sriracha]

Wabi-sabi has been a trendy concept here for a while now, in interior decoration circles. It irritates me no end when magazines/blogs talk about it as something that can be had after reading an article and maybe buying some old 'vintage' stuff. =_=

[JBaymore]

It irritates me no end when magazines/blogs talk about it as something that can be had after reading an article and maybe buying some old 'vintage' stuff. =_=

Amen to that. I've been studying the meaning for 40+ years.

best,

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

[RoseWood]

Aha! Thanks so much

[AdamMY]

I have written about Wabi Sabi in the past, but like others have said, it is a forever long process to get to know and understand Wabi Sabi. Not to mention its likely completely personal. For instance Hagi and some of these other more free flowing forms of pottery often have a big indentation in the side. This personally drives me up the wall, and looking at my pieces, I believe I only have one such piece, but its minimal and somewhat lost against some very minor carving done to the piece.

If the piece is naturally wonky due to a very sandy clay, or the fact that its pinch work, or for some of my favorite pieces, the artist didn't feel the need to make sure the sides were perfectly smooth after throwing, meaning there are subtle ridges in a swirling motion going up the side of the piece. Then a whole new level of imperfections can be introduced into the piece based on how the glaze behaves.

All that being said, I have recently started to get into pieces that I would consider rather refined, with near perfect forms and glazing. Maybe its just because I really enjoy hand crafted pottery these are equally endearing to me.

[rdl]

for some of my favorite pieces, the artist didn't feel the need to make sure the sides were perfectly smooth after throwing, meaning there are subtle ridges in a swirling motion going up the side of the piece.

adam, i don't believe that "the artist didn't feel the need" but rather, that effect (sorry for not knowing the name for it or as well informed as i'd like to be) is an historical, aesthetic, even spiritual desired result that the potter is using. the question may be whether it was preconceived or happened as the piece is being fashioned.
you make an interesting point about things that bother you - the indentation you refer to. from the outside i feel as well that it is sometimes disturbing to the piece but when i look down from the top of a filled cup, the tea flowing around the indentation is like water in a pond flowing against a rock. from that perspective i really have enjoyed that form.

[AdamMY]

for some of my favorite pieces, the artist didn't feel the need to make sure the sides were perfectly smooth after throwing, meaning there are subtle ridges in a swirling motion going up the side of the piece.

adam, i don't believe that "the artist didn't feel the need" but rather, that effect (sorry for not knowing the name for it or as well informed as i'd like to be) is an historical, aesthetic, even spiritual desired result that the potter is using. the question may be whether it was preconceived or happened as the piece is being fashioned.
you make an interesting point about things that bother you - the indentation you refer to. from the outside i feel as well that it is sometimes disturbing to the piece but when i look down from the top of a filled cup, the tea flowing around the indentation is like water in a pond flowing against a rock. from that perspective i really have enjoyed that form.

It likely is an intentional effect. Though depending on the piece this can look super intentional such as:


Julie Devers Yunomi by Adam Yusko, on Flickr

Or there can be others where it looks like its unfinished, though likely still intentional. I am sure all these artists are far too skilled to not know how to make a near perfect piece if they wanted. An example of the "unfinished" type with this effect:


Eiichi Woodfired Yunomi by Adam Yusko, on Flickr

[JBaymore]

These are totally representing aesthetic choices. Those are very sophisticated forms. In the case of Japanese tea-ware or Japanese tea-ware influenced works from the wabi-sabi school of asthetics, materiality dominates many, many choices.

Those pieces are intended to capture the true nature of what earth matrerials and fire tend to do naturally together with man's high touch as the intermediary between them.

Intention is high...... control is gentle. A collaboration. A dance in which one partner leads and one partner follows, but neither dominates, and the result is pure synergy.

best,

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

[iannon]

These are totally representing aesthetic choices. Those are very sophisticated forms. In the case of Japanese tea-ware or Japanese tea-ware influenced works from the wabi-sabi school of asthetics, materiality dominates many, many choices.

Those pieces are intended to capture the true nature of what earth matrerials and fire tend to do naturally together with man's high touch as the intermediary between them.

Intention is high...... control is gentle. A collaboration. A dance in which one partner leads and one partner follows, but neither dominates, and the result is pure synergy.

best,

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

adding Poety to your list of Artistry

[RoseWood]

+1

RIP Ian

[JBaymore]

These are totally representing aesthetic choices. Those are very sophisticated forms. In the case of Japanese tea-ware or Japanese tea-ware influenced works from the wabi-sabi school of asthetics, materiality dominates many, many choices.

Those pieces are intended to capture the true nature of what earth matrerials and fire tend to do naturally together with man's high touch as the intermediary between them.

Intention is high...... control is gentle. A collaboration. A dance in which one partner leads and one partner follows, but neither dominates, and the result is pure synergy.

best,

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

adding Poety to your list of Artistry

Thanks for those words, iannon.... may your soul find peace and comfort.

best,

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