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anagama/cracked pots

updated thu 22 jul 99

 

Ronan ORourke on wed 21 jul 99

Chrissy,
Thanks very much for your help it is much appreciated.
It occurred to me that there is a link here to the cracked pot debate. I =
have
come across pictures of ancient Japanese anagama fired pots with gaping =
cracks
that have been filled with gold. These were obviously considered valuable
despite/because of this =22flaw=22.
There are also contemporary potters who take a different perspective on this
issue. At a recent lecture I heard Nick Collins, a prominent English =
woodfire
potter, explain how he often refires cracked pots in order to make them open
further.
It is my view that if a pot is intended to be a functional piece and a =
=22flaw=22
of whatever description stops it from performing that function, then yes =
employ
that most useful tool, a hammer. This said one mans weed is another mans
flower, and in my (humble) opinion the same applies to technical faults.

Ronan O'Rourke