Richard mahaffey on wed 16 jun 99
Jim,
Yes, there is Art around us. I think however the issue is with the
overall quality of that Art and it's relationship to our culture. I have
lived in Japan and visited there many times. I noticed that there was so
much "good design" (in my opinion) around that I felt that I understood
the reason why my students from Japan seemed to have a better handle on
design in making their first quarter's pots than did my other students.
Raymond Loewy, an American Designer, said lamenting the lack of good
design in the United States "Good design does not cost anymore than bad
design".
In Japanese culture there was a strong connection to the land, seasons and
traditions, that we once had in this country. In the spring, for example,
there were many news stories about the Cherry Blossom viewing parties,
when and where to view the cherry blossoms. Stories about what types
foods were traditional in different areas, what new types of food items
might enhance the experience. There were special types of containers for
these foods. There were also programs on pottes from different traditions
on the TV frequently.
This type of attention to beauty and aesthetics would be welcome in the
Good Ole USA, in my humble opinion, anytime.
Sure Japan is not perfect, there are way too many overhead power lines to
my way of thinking, for example, But I for one would enjoy being scolded
for having my prices way too low for my work (despite raising my prices by
2 and one-half times) here as happened in Japan. (Clay is waaaaayyyy more
expensive in Japan than here $128.00 for 44 lbs of porcelain.)
I thought that was a bit of potter's heaven, maybe I am wrong. I think it
was suggested that we potters would be better off if we could have an
EDUCATED and MOTIVATED buying audience like th eone that exisists in
Japan.
Also the notion that Japan is uniform from North to South and East to West
is not true in my experience. Japan is still very regional, but that too
is changing, alas.
Perhaps I was in an uncommonly receptive area of Japan, but I don't think
so (it was the prefecture with the lowest percentage of foreigners and not
teh richest by a long way).
Anyway, I was impressed by the large percentage of good design around and
I thought a person could not help but absorb some of it.
Very much just my opinion.
Rick Mahaffewy
Tacoma, WA
hasebe on thu 17 jun 99
I am Japanese living in US 10 years and making functional pottery. I did not
have any formal education on clay here or there.
I think lots depend on a meal culture, what we eat and how we eat in regard
to functional pottery. Younger people here are more exposed to other
country's eating and they know how to use different type (shape) of dishes.
For instance, a half plate and a soy source dipping bowl I make, people who
frequently eat Japanese food understand the concept. Many people bought
these the show last weekend for their children in college. I visited Boulder
CO, last month, and was amazed so many Japanese style different shaped
dishes are on a shelf at a cooking supply store. So, again, more people
exposed to Japanese food, or eating Japanese food, people's perception for
the pottery may change. On the other hand, many elder people ask me what it
is for. It is safe to say that American people are more exposed to
chinaware (that why they like blue, my guess) than stoneware, and uses a
dinner set, than individual pieces for each dish.
I just throw in couple other things related to Japanese pottery.
Space consideration for storage is very important in Japan. Japanese house
is not large, and need to store them compact. It is very important to pile
them up in shelves properly. It is funny that more longer I live here,
larger my dishes became.
Price of grocery is another factor. Serving a beef steak full of plate, for
example, is very expensive there. They tried to use little portions, here,
and there and fill a table.
In Japan, there is hardly any dishwasher. If you expect people to hand wash
dishes everyday, you can make a more sensitive shape for daily use dishes.
Historically ?, I do not know much, though, Japanese pottery tends to
establish around a location of clay, Masiko, Shigaraki, Bizen, etc, and have
a sort of restraining attached to a shape and design they make. Name of
location becomes brand name. (I may be stereotype too much, here.) There are
many potters who are not restrained to the location in recent years, though.
I enjoy a wide variety of American pottery, which itself has own unique
shape and design (technique), established. Even it looks like Japanese
pottery, you can not find them in Japan when looking around when I go back.
Finally, I personally think if a customer enjoy my dish with their meal,
that is most important thing. I am pleased when they said they use it all
the time.
Hodaka Hasebe
hasebeh@rochester.rr.com (Hodaka Hasebe)
Pittsford, NY
Ray Aldridge on wed 23 jun 99
>
>Finally, I personally think if a customer enjoy my dish with their meal,
>that is most important thing. I am pleased when they said they use it all
>the time.
>
>
>Hodaka Hasebe
I completely agree. This is why I believe that functional pottery occupies
a much higher niche in the fine arts pantheon than non-functional ceramics.
Art, let us remember, is not necessary to human survival. It is only
necessary to human happiness.
Ray
Lee Love on sun 8 aug 99
------------------
----- Original Message -----
From: hasebe =3Chasebeh=40rochester.rr.com=3E
=3E Historically ?, I do not know much, though, Japanese pottery tends to
=3E establish around a location of clay, Masiko, Shigaraki, Bizen, etc, and
have
=3E a sort of restraining attached to a shape and design they make. Name
of
=3E location becomes brand name. (I may be stereotype too much, here.) There
are
=3E many potters who are not restrained to the location in recent years,
though.
Thanks for this post Hodaka. I can attest to the last statement you
make in this paragraph. On my visits to Mashiko, I have been
introduced to several potters who have moved there from more conservative
regions of Japan (like Kyoto.) They told me that they moved there for
the creative freedom, because they don't have to use a certain clay with a
certain glaze and a certain form, and also because ceramic materials are
available in Mashiko from other places in Japan.
There are different groups of potters in Mashiko, the two main
ones being the folks who do the traditional work and then another group of
folks who have moved there from elsewhere, like Hamada did, who are more
like our studio potters here in the USA.
Also, on our visit to Kochi in Shikoku a year ago last spring,
many of the potters there are abandoning the old Noborigamas that used to
be used for making large storage jars in favor of gas or oil firing
because nobody wants to buy the old traditional storage jars and they are
difficult to load without the use of these pieces. Of course, the
gas/oil fired work is different =26 not like the traditional work.
I am moving there in the fall to work at a friends pottery.
My mother is Japanese so I qualify for the =22adult child of a Japanese
national=22 visa. Right now, I am working at getting family papers from
Japan for the visa.
/(o=5C=A7 Lee Hashimoto Love In Saint Paul, Minnesota USA =B0
=5Co)/=A7 mailto:Ikiru=40Kami.com ICQ=23 20586182
=A7 =A7 http://homepages.go.com/=7Eakitajin/akitag.html
Akita Graphics Email List. HTML Welcomed
http://bigfoot.com/=7Eoneakita
Keep the Family Together=21
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