Asian Ceramics

Chinese Yixing Teapot

Korean Celadon teapot

Japanese Woodfired pot

One of the early things that seduced me into the realm of clay was coming across Asian ceramics piled up in the stores of the busy markets of big city china towns. I have always loved the rough and gestural look of Japanese woodfired ceramics, the deep water celadon glazes and elegant forms perfected in Korean ceramics, and the soft, natural look of Chinese Yixing teapots. Asian Ceramics have been a huge influence in both my work and my love for ceramics in general. Every time I am in an Asian market I hold the ceramics in my hand and think "how can I make this, I have to make this!" I spend a lot of time picking up already made ceramics and feeling every bit of the form...looking at the the rim and the foot..peering deeply into the glaze considering what it may be made of, how it might have been fired. Museums have also been a great place for me to take in the ceramics of Asia (both ancient and contemporary). They never let me touch them though! It has been a long time dream and goal of mine to travel to Asia just to visit the old pottery villages and kiln sites there. I want to stay up all night stoking an anagama kiln with Japanese Zen monks. I'd like to travel down the old silk route and dig up some of that yixing clay. Sit by the side of the great masters of Korea as they carve into their pots with their homemade tools. The ceramics of Asia is such a deep foundation to rest upon in the land of clay. Every time you start to doubt the medium all you have to do is look east and look back and there are multitudes of well made objects to help put that shiver back in your spine.