swanceramics.com » Workshops Japan http://swanceramics.com Ceramics, Pottery, Clay, Art, Sculpture Thu, 02 Feb 2012 23:08:19 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 Earthquake/tsunami and Frith workshop http://swanceramics.com/2011/03/13/earthquaketsunami-and-frith-workshop/ http://swanceramics.com/2011/03/13/earthquaketsunami-and-frith-workshop/#comments Sun, 13 Mar 2011 20:21:10 +0000 swanica http://swanceramics.com/?p=4395 First, I would like to say how devastating the earthquake and tsunami is for Japan. I was at that moment home in California and am now in Chicago with my youngest son, Arjan. This was all already planned of course. But Adriaan was in our house in Kamakura and felt the biggest shock ever. He ran outside. The first thing I said and what he did when he could enter the house again, was checking the risk for a tsunami. Luckily, the chance was small this time for Kamakura. So, he is fine. But in Sendai the tsunami happened an half hour after the historical big quake. Terrible! My heart and prayers goes out to all the people enveloped by this tragedy.

I was not able to write about this exciting workshop, because a lot happened last week with the preparation for my “Sakura” exhibition at the end of this month and my 2-week trip to the US.

On March the 4th and 5th I attended a Master Class Ceramics Workshop given by David and Margaret Frith at the International School of the Sacred School in Steve Tootell’s ceramics room and organized by Steve Tootell and the JapanASCD (Assoc. of Supervision and Curriculum Development).

David and Margaret are potters in stoneware and porcelain. They set up their first workshop in 1963. Their reputations are well established. David with his mastery of the potter’s wheel makes majestic pieces decorated with his personal style of waxed motifs under heavy reduction over- glazes and glaze trailing. Margaret concentrates on individual porcelain with carved decoration or colored glazes as well as producing a comprehensive range of domestic ware and decorative stoneware. Their pottery is housed in an 18th. century woollen mill which was later used as a brewery hence the name The Malt House. The mill is situated on the banks of the river Ystrad, on the outskirts of the market town of Denbigh, in the beautiful Vale of Clwyd in North Wales, UK. Their website is: http://www.pottery.demon.co.uk/

They taught us all kinds of throwing techniques and personalized it for each attendee. They showed us their way of throwing and trimming pots and the next day talked about decoration. For me some things were very familiar and I learned some different techniques especially for throwing big pots. They have 48 years of experience in making pots! I will add some YOU TUBE videos I took at the end of this blog, but next time it will be one movie. I have to learn to edit movies and put them together as one.

Steve introducing Margaret and David.


Margaret throwing.










David pulling up the clay for throwing a big platter.

David throwing a big vase in two parts. The base he threw the day before and the top he threw first separately and then turned it around and put it on the base. He is finishes it directly.

Some YOU TUBE MOVIES:

1. David and Margaret both throwing a plate:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_QJUsxzu08

2. David pulling up clay: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=td5GNJoX2P0

3. David throwing a big vase: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzn4t5Gf-I8

4. Margaret explaining decoration: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bzEE0hR3qaE

]]> http://swanceramics.com/2011/03/13/earthquaketsunami-and-frith-workshop/feed/ 0 Lecture at Kamakura YMCA http://swanceramics.com/2010/06/07/lecture-at-kamakura-ymca/ http://swanceramics.com/2010/06/07/lecture-at-kamakura-ymca/#comments Mon, 07 Jun 2010 10:09:24 +0000 swanica http://swanceramics.com/?p=4089
On May 21, 2010, I gave a lecture at the Kamakura YMCA . This is an English Seminar. It is a group of people who is interested in continuing their knowledge of the English language. Almost everybody lived abroad for a while in an English speaking country of the world. They invite English speaking people to talk about a special topic. I got invited and made a Powerpoint presentation and brought some of my work: especially the Kamakura Red work of course here in Kamakura.









They were very interested in my work and asked wonderful questions. And I had a great time telling them about my work and life.







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]]> http://swanceramics.com/2010/06/07/lecture-at-kamakura-ymca/feed/ 0 Spring firing at Kusakabe-san’ http://swanceramics.com/2010/04/25/spring-firing-at-kusakabe-san/ http://swanceramics.com/2010/04/25/spring-firing-at-kusakabe-san/#comments Mon, 26 Apr 2010 03:43:34 +0000 swanica http://swanceramics.com/?p=3898 On April 14 I went to Kusakabe-san’s place to fire a wood kiln together and at the end at high temperature we threw salt into the kiln and got some beautiful results.




Quite a small effective kiln and hardly any smoke.


The fire box.












View of the glow of the fire through hole in the chimney.




A mixture of sawdust and salt is put on wood which is shoved as far back into the stoke hole for salt-ash glazing.



The opening of the kiln.




Kusakabe-san holding a beautiful bowl.








Our results from the kiln.











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]]> http://swanceramics.com/2010/04/25/spring-firing-at-kusakabe-san/feed/ 0 The 10th World Art Educators’ Workshop http://swanceramics.com/2009/11/22/the-10th-world-art-educators-workshop/ http://swanceramics.com/2009/11/22/the-10th-world-art-educators-workshop/#comments Sun, 22 Nov 2009 14:01:07 +0000 swanica http://swanceramics.com/?p=3271 1a)Fujiwara shaping Jaki_1

For 3 days I participated in The 10th World Art Educators’ Workshop featuring IKUZO FUJIWARA and coordinated by Steve Tootell, ceramic art and performance art director from the International School of The Sacred Heart in Tokyo and facilitated by Euan Craig, a Mashiko woodfire potter for 20 years. Please, see the following LINK.


Fijiwara-san sculpting on his “Jaki”.


It was such an interesting workshop. Seldom did I meet such a nice and interesting man. He is wonderfully creative and artistic in so many ways. He is a ceramic mural artist and the only one left in Japan in these difficult economic times. He also is a landscape artist and sculptor. Please, also see his website: www.ikuzo.com

3f)Dentist mural_1
His reputation is established with more than 500 installations in major buildings throughout Japan. They can be as high as 4 stories, colorful and creative and incredibly complicated in design. At a school he installed a multi-dimensional mural, which students can view from left, right and head-on. Each view presents a different picture.Composition of ripples_1


Stairway to the sky_1

Fujiwara-san overcame the challenge of creating landscape-scale ceramic artwork with scientifically developed techniques and clays that allow for exceptional strength, durability, and massive size. He has revolutionized the large art form with precision engineered plans and modern electric kilns. He has a great, big, well organized, clean, workshop and design studio. All is very impressive.


Convection Oven_1

He uses a Japanese convection kiln, the ancient oven from the Nara period from 1500 years ago, stoked with wood, to fire his gargoyles or “Jakis”: spirits from the natural world, objects of fear and respect.
3c) Big Jaki + Fujiwara_1







Fujiwara-san and a very big “Jaki”.









He lives in Mashiko, the pottery and ceramics town that was the focal point for the renaissance of Japanese folk art under the guidance and leadership of Hamada Shoji, one of Japan’s greatest ceramic artists.

So, it was great to be back in Mashiko and to stay at the Mashiko Ceramic Art Center of Furuki-san.

Please, watch the following movie made by Steve Tootell of the 3-day workshop!

]]> http://swanceramics.com/2009/11/22/the-10th-world-art-educators-workshop/feed/ 0 The Art of Tea Workshop in Tokyo 5 http://swanceramics.com/2008/10/29/the-art-of-tea-workshop-in-tokyo-5/ http://swanceramics.com/2008/10/29/the-art-of-tea-workshop-in-tokyo-5/#comments Wed, 29 Oct 2008 17:41:36 +0000 swanica http://swanceramics.com/?p=1259 The last day we finished several projects and raku fired our glazed pots.

1) Steve explaining,72_1

Steve explains how the procedure goes.

2) Steve strating the gas fring,72_1

Steve starts the gas firing.The temperature will be at 900 Celsius in 1 hr.

3) Orange color iside,72_1

Almost ready for take out.

4) Jennifer taking out pots,72_1

Jennifer taking out pots.

5) Smoking trashcan,72_1

You put the pots in a trash can. There was lots of paper in there. When it starts burning you quickly close the lid to get the reduction going, which affects the glazes.

6) Taking out pots,72_1

Still some burning  and flames.

7) Results,72_1jpg

The pots were taken out, put in water and put on a ledge to cool of further and look at the beautiful colors!

8) Results,72_2

We raku fired the big bowls and finished the workshop with a tea ceremony in our chawans and admired Tatsuo Shimaoka-san’s teabowl which Euan owns.

Thank you Steve, Euan and Kusakabe-san for the wonderful, interesting Art of Tea workshop!

]]> http://swanceramics.com/2008/10/29/the-art-of-tea-workshop-in-tokyo-5/feed/ 0 The Art of Tea Workshop in Tokyo 4 http://swanceramics.com/2008/10/29/the-art-of-tea-workshop-in-tokyo-3a/ http://swanceramics.com/2008/10/29/the-art-of-tea-workshop-in-tokyo-3a/#comments Wed, 29 Oct 2008 17:12:57 +0000 swanica http://swanceramics.com/?p=1237 After returning to the International School of Sacred Heart we glazed bisques pots for the raku we would do the next, last day.

Kusakabe-san showed us how.

In the evening we enjoyed our last dinner together in a Balinese restaurant.

8) Balinese dinner,72_1
Milan, Ixchel, Euan, Jennifer, Helen, Catherine, Kasakabe-san, Steve, Micha and Titus.

9) Balinese dinner,72_2

Lisa, Laura, Marianne, Swanica, Heather, Rebecca, Debi, and Jennifer. Unfortunately, Amber is missing, but with her due date for her pregnancy almost being up, she always went home to rest after our full days.

]]> http://swanceramics.com/2008/10/29/the-art-of-tea-workshop-in-tokyo-3a/feed/ 0 The Art of Tea Workshop in Tokyo 3 http://swanceramics.com/2008/10/29/the-art-of-tea-workshop-in-tokyo-3/ http://swanceramics.com/2008/10/29/the-art-of-tea-workshop-in-tokyo-3/#comments Wed, 29 Oct 2008 16:54:22 +0000 swanica http://swanceramics.com/?p=1229 Kusakabe-san showed us the next day how to trim Japanese tea bowls. Every tea bowl has its own characteristic foot “kodai”.

IMG_1448

He starts out trimming with a bamboo stick to make it even and to clearly mark the beginning of the bottom part of the bowl.

IMG_1445

IMG_1449

And of course every foot has a different name with the specific type of bowl.

Then we went to the Nihonbashi district in Tokyo to the Toyoda restaurant from Master Chef Touru Hashimoto-san.

1) Toyoda restaurant,72_1

2) Chef showing old building,72_1

Hashimoto-san shows us how the old restaurant looked like.

You have all kinds of different tea ceremonies. One of them is very elaborate and starts with a dinner. The food is very specially prepared and also the service ware is specifically chosen. Very important is to choose foods from the season as well as the dinnerware has its specific seasonal colors. Hashimoto-san prepared the dishes for this ceremony.

4) Hashimoto-san preparing the food,72_1

5) Hashimoto-san preparing the food,72_2
6) Prepared food,72_1

7) Prepared food,72_2

It all tasted very delicious and is exquisite to eat food prepared in such a caring way.

]]> http://swanceramics.com/2008/10/29/the-art-of-tea-workshop-in-tokyo-3/feed/ 0 The Art of Tea Workshop in Tokyo 2 http://swanceramics.com/2008/10/29/the-art-of-tea-workshop-in-tokyo-2/ http://swanceramics.com/2008/10/29/the-art-of-tea-workshop-in-tokyo-2/#comments Wed, 29 Oct 2008 16:24:26 +0000 swanica http://swanceramics.com/?p=1208 I am on my way back to the US and am in the train from Kamakura to Narita Airport what will take about 2 1/2 hours. A perfect time to continue my writing until the battery runs out.

The 2nd day started out with a demonstration of Euan Craig to make different kinds of ceramic ware for the food part of the tea ceremony: “Chakai seki dori”. They were all busy throwing or making slab plates or using plaster molds to make plates.

Then, after eating a delicious bento box lunch, we went to see the Tea Master Saito Noriko.1) Waiting for the train,72_1
We’re waiting for the train to Kita-Kamakura, an one hour train ride.
We divided in two groups and I took 8 participants to the Engakuji Temple (see blog 5/14/06 or Kamakura/Temple category) and the Kamakura Old Pottery Museum, which I just had visited last week (see blog 10/17/08 or category Kamakura).

It was pouring, but that gave a special, wonderful, mystic atmosphere.
2) Engakuji temple,72_1

3) Engakuji Temple,72_2

A  lantern on the Engakuji grounds.

4) Teaceremony,72_1

Saito Noriko-san and her team of helpers. In the back ground the Tokonoma with a scroll “Kakemono”. I wrote earlier about the teaceremony (see blog 2/9/07 or category chanoyu tea ceremony).

5) Kusa-san coiling,72_1

When we arrived again at the International School of Sacred Heart, Kusakabe-san showed us how to make teabowls other than throwing.

Here he makes a coil tea bowl.

6) From block,72_1

He makes a tea bowl by carving out a block of clay. First, he made a texture on the outside and trimmed a foot. Then you empty the block with a carving tool.

7) Euan burner,72_1 10) Debbie throwing slab,72_1

Euan drying a textured, slip colored block of clay with a torch. Debbie throws it on the floor to make it a slab from which she later made a vase.

11) Jennifer working with slab,72_1

Jennifer making a vase out of the torched slab and working on a coil pot.

11a) Helen block chawan,72_1

12) Milan making block chawan,72_1

Helen and Milan both working on a block chawan.

13) Steve,72_1

14) Steve,72_2

Steve Tootell, the organizer and camera man and everything else. He made everything possible. Thank you.

]]> http://swanceramics.com/2008/10/29/the-art-of-tea-workshop-in-tokyo-2/feed/ 0 The Art of Tea Workshop in Tokyo 1 http://swanceramics.com/2008/10/28/the-art-of-tea-workshop-in-tokyo-1/ http://swanceramics.com/2008/10/28/the-art-of-tea-workshop-in-tokyo-1/#comments Tue, 28 Oct 2008 03:21:20 +0000 swanica http://swanceramics.com/?p=1178 The 9th World Art Educators’ Workshop in Tokyo, Japan started in the evening with a first meeting for signing in and dinner. But before that we prepared for the coming days.

1) The art of Tea poster_1

Steve Tootell was the organizer of the workshop. The two Master Potters were Euan Craig and Kasakabe-san, the Master Chef was Hashimoto Touru and the Tea Master was Saito Noriko. I helped with setting up and with throwing: anything what needed to be done.

2) Kusakabe-san throwing teabowls,72_1

3) Kusakabe-san throwing chaire,72_1

Kusakabe-san is throwing teabowls “Chawan” and tea caddies “Chaire”.

I had turned the camera vertically, but understand now that you can’t do that. But it shows very well what they are presenting.

4) Euan throwing,72_1

Euan throws teaceremony food dishes “Chakai seki dori”.

5) Example bowls,72_1
A small example with drawing explanations of the many chawan and chaire Kusakabe-san threw.

]]> http://swanceramics.com/2008/10/28/the-art-of-tea-workshop-in-tokyo-1/feed/ 0 Horsehair Workshop http://swanceramics.com/2008/02/02/horsehair-workshop/ http://swanceramics.com/2008/02/02/horsehair-workshop/#comments Sat, 02 Feb 2008 13:14:22 +0000 swanica http://swanceramics.com/?p=581 Today, I gave a horsehair workshop at The International School of Sacred Heart in Tokyo organized by Steve Tootell, the Head of Creative and Performing Arts of the school.

It was difficult for me to take pictures while working, but Steve made a video of it.

Please, enjoy watching. We all had fun and made great pieces. Thank you Steve for this wonderful opportunity!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOUff-Qvrvg


“Thunder” Off-Center Horsehair Plate

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