Artists

artists

Chambers, John
Darte, Mahoko
Fornell, Robert
Great Water Ceramics
Lightner, Donald Kimon

Potter John Chambers, a 20-year student of tea, makes ware for the tea ceremony in several traditional Japanese glazes. But his passion is salt glazing, which produces rustic, accidental surfaces that resonate with the wabi aesthetic. Salt glaze pieces are one-of-a-kind, unduplicatable, growing with rich earthy tones, like a shinier version of Bizen, or cascading with ash glazes reminiscent of old Iga ware. John considers his challenge to find a contemporary and personal solution to traditional tea ceremony needs without losing sight of the respected forms of the past.
Visit the pottery at 2060 Blucher Valley Road, Sebastopol, CA, 95472. Tel & Fax: 707-823-7369.

	Potter John Chambers, a 20-year student of tea, makes ware for the tea ceremony in several traditional Japanese glazes. But his passion is salt glazing, which produces rustic, accidental surfaces that resonate with the wabi aesthetic. Salt glaze pieces are one-of-a-kind, unduplicatable, growing with rich earthy tones, like a shinier version of Bizen, or cascading with ash glazes reminiscent of old Iga ware. John considers his challenge to find a contemporary and personal solution to traditional tea ceremony needs without losing sight of the respected forms of the past. Visit the pottery at 2060 Blucher Valley Road, Sebastopol, CA, 95472. Tel & Fax: 707-823-7369.

Dahte, Mahoko Visit Site | Email

Clay is a gift from Mother Earth. I would like to use this gift to create something that carries a message of peace in our world and also projects to my adopted country, America, something of the Asian culture and philosophy. My current work is primarily ceramic wall sculptures, each with a theme. One of these recent sculptures is "Universe," a three-piece set of tiles created using raku firing and intended to project my desire for peace, tranquility and harmony with our environment.
Another of my recent wall sculptures series is "Roji," a visual interpretation of a Japanese garden walkway. The roji is the garden that surrounds the traditional Japanese teahouse. The garden may consist of spacious grounds or a simple path. The host's and guest's passage through the roji is marked with specific elements meant to spark a state of mental purity and sincerity. I have attempted to recreate that mental state in my sculptures and at the same time to project a little piece of Japanese culture to the American people.

	Clay is a gift from Mother Earth. I would like to use this gift to create something that carries a message of peace in our world and also projects to my adopted country, America, something of the Asian culture and philosophy. My current work is primarily ceramic wall sculptures, each with a theme. One of these recent sculptures is "Universe," a three-piece set of tiles created using raku firing and intended to project my desire for peace, tranquility and harmony with our environment. Another of my recent wall sculptures series is "Roji," a visual interpretation of a Japanese garden walkway. The roji is the garden that surrounds the traditional Japanese teahouse. The garden may consist of spacious grounds or a simple path. The host's and guest's passage through the roji is marked with specific elements meant to spark a state of mental purity and sincerity. I have attempted to recreate that mental state in my sculptures and at the same time to project a little piece of Japanese culture to the American people.

Fornell, Robert Visit Site | Email

Seattle potter Robert Fornell began his ceramic work some twenty five years ago, receiving his BFA - University of Minnesota, and MFA – University of Washington before heading off to Japan where he worked for some 8 years. Exhibitions include such venues as The Urasenke Foundation – Seattle, The Parsons School of Design – New York, The Otis Art Institute – Los Angeles, The International Tableware Festival – Tokyo, The Ichikawa Prefectural Art Museum – Kanazawa, and the Kintetsu/Matsushita Gallery in Yamaguchi Prefecture.
Over the past few years much of his work has been centered on work for Chanoyu which relates to Hagi and Karatsu as well as older Korean wares. The approach is simple, to find and use materials in a raw state and then to step back and let the fire and clay have their voice, taking the role of that of an enabler rather than that of a creator. His Hagi style kohiki ware is the clearest expression of this philosophy with the materials simply being an iron bearing clay, a coat of slip covered by an ash glaze and then fired. While respecting the various genres of the past he is also interested in expanding the vernacular of chatou as witnessed by his development of a black Shino glaze as well as a glaze he calls “Tengu”. As tea is a living art form, it is his goal to create works which while referencing the past, will also function to bind us in the expression of our humanity at this moment.

	Seattle potter Robert Fornell began his ceramic work some twenty five years ago, receiving his BFA - University of Minnesota, and MFA – University of Washington before heading off to Japan where he worked for some 8 years. Exhibitions include such venues as The Urasenke Foundation – Seattle, The Parsons School of Design – New York, The Otis Art Institute – Los Angeles, The International Tableware Festival – Tokyo, The Ichikawa Prefectural Art Museum – Kanazawa, and the Kintetsu/Matsushita Gallery in Yamaguchi Prefecture. Over the past few years much of his work has been centered on work for Chanoyu which relates to Hagi and Karatsu as well as older Korean wares. The approach is simple, to find and use materials in a raw state and then to step back and let the fire and clay have their voice, taking the role of that of an enabler rather than that of a creator. His Hagi style kohiki ware is the clearest expression of this philosophy with the materials simply being an iron bearing clay, a coat of slip covered by an ash glaze and then fired. While respecting the various genres of the past he is also interested in expanding the vernacular of chatou as witnessed by his development of a black Shino glaze as well as a glaze he calls “Tengu”. As tea is a living art form, it is his goal to create works which while referencing the past, will also function to bind us in the expression of our humanity at this moment.

Great Water Ceramics Visit Site | Email

"A raku tea bowl of thick tea is considered the preeminent symbol of chanoyu." To echo the thoughts of Jennifer L. Anderson from An Introduction to Japanese Tea Ritual, raku chawan are symbolic and historically significant. I wish to add that they are very pleasant to hold. Rikyu chose the bowls made by Chojiro to fit his ideal of wabi tea. A raku chawan represents intimacy as it touches the lips and symbolizes communication between the participants who share the thick tea. Each chawan that I produce is formed by hand in the traditional manner to produce the rough hewn natural quality that Rikyu so admired.
I find great pleasure specializing in the making of raku chawan for tea enthusiasts worldwide. The name of my studio is taken from hexagram 13 of the I Ching that suggests "gather together in fellowship before crossing the great water." My studio originated on the bank of a tidal portion of the Penobscot River in Maine where I enjoyed watching the daily and seasonal changes and working closely with the influence of nature. Recently I reestablished my studio in western Pennsylvania where I now enjoy working at home. I have worked with clay for 27 years, have studied chado for 17 years, and have taught art in schools and universities. Although I am largely self-taught in the raku manner, I owe deep respect and gratitude to the many pottery, tea, martial arts, and spiritual teachers who have guided me while I travel this path.
Jay Hanes
Great Water Ceramics
Meadville, Pennsylvania, USA

	"A raku tea bowl of thick tea is considered the preeminent symbol of chanoyu." To echo the thoughts of Jennifer L. Anderson from An Introduction to Japanese Tea Ritual, raku chawan are symbolic and historically significant. I wish to add that they are very pleasant to hold. Rikyu chose the bowls made by Chojiro to fit his ideal of wabi tea. A raku chawan represents intimacy as it touches the lips and symbolizes communication between the participants who share the thick tea. Each chawan that I produce is formed by hand in the traditional manner to produce the rough hewn natural quality that Rikyu so admired. I find great pleasure specializing in the making of raku chawan for tea enthusiasts worldwide. The name of my studio is taken from hexagram 13 of the I Ching that suggests "gather together in fellowship before crossing the great water." My studio originated on the bank of a tidal portion of the Penobscot River in Maine where I enjoyed watching the daily and seasonal changes and working closely with the influence of nature. Recently I reestablished my studio in western Pennsylvania where I now enjoy working at home. I have worked with clay for 27 years, have studied chado for 17 years, and have taught art in schools and universities. Although I am largely self-taught in the raku manner, I owe deep respect and gratitude to the many pottery, tea, martial arts, and spiritual teachers who have guided me while I travel this path. Jay Hanes Great Water Ceramics Meadville, Pennsylvania, USA

Lightner, Donald Kimon Visit Site | Email | 520-323-0203

Donald Kimon Lightner began his interest in Chado as a Zen Buddhist monk. His work tends to be quiet yet at times bold but classic. He is a self taught ceramic artist and also makes shifuku, tana, Chinese calligraphy and chashaku. Don studies Urasenke Chado mainly in Arizona and New Mexico and lives and practices Chinese Medicine in Tucson, Arizona.