New Arrivals from Eiko Tanaka : Lacquer Pitchers

Penguin & Hiyoko Pitchers by Eiko Tanaka

 

Eiko Tanaka's spouted containers are beautifully made, pouring a clean stream from the hand-crafted spout.

It is easy to find a spouted wooden bowl, such as the Goroku wooden bowl that has an attached spout.
However, skilled at the wood turning lathe, Eiko Tanaka's sensitivities took her in another direction.

Well-suited to spin a piece of wood at high speed and carve out a perfectly round figure, the lathe technique cannot be used to form a spout at only one place on the form.

Eiko's spouted container design looks as if she took the circular rim formed from the lathe and pinched it with her fingers to create a gentle curved spout.
Natural in its shape, you remain unaware of the great challenge of it.
Because it is impossible to complete this piece only with the lathe, it seems she carved out the shape using the lathe and continued to hand-carve the rest of the form to make the spout.

As you experience this breathtaking piece, the beauty of a form that obscures the great efforts of its hand-carving is an artisan's obsession.


田中瑛子の片口は美しくキレが良い。

よく見かける木製の片口は、例えば合鹿腕に注ぎ口を付けたようなものなど。
轆轤師である田中瑛子の感性は、そうはさせなかった。

材を高回転させて歯を当てて削り出していく轆轤の技法は真円を作ることには適しているが、片口のような一箇所だけ飛び出したような形を作るのには不向きである。

しかし、彼女のこの片口のデザインは、まるで轆轤で作ったの円形の縁を指でつぼませたかのようになだらかだ。あまりに自然でその仕事の大変さを微塵も感じさせない。
当然、最後まで轆轤で仕上げることは不可能なのだから、口となる部分の手前までを轆轤で作ったのちに、手作業で注ぎ口を削り出して仕上げているのだろう。

全体のフォルムの美しさの裏に、手作業の努力、職人としてのこだわりを感じる逸品である。

 

Hiyoko Pitcher S φ3"1/4 x H2"3/4 $330 (left)
Hiyoko Pitcher M φ3"3/4 x H3"   $430 (right)
made of Hornbeam

Penguin Pitcher L φ3"1/4 x H5"1/2 $680 (left)
Penguin Pitcher M φ3"1/2 x H5"   $630 (right)
Penguin Pitcher S φ3"1/4 x H 4"   $530 (front)
made of Japanese Horse Chestnuts

" Tradition on My Side "

The first time Eiko came to New York was in October of 2011. At this time, it was her second year as a participant in Gallery Hagi owner, Toyoko Shimoguchi's showcase of the crafts of Kaga from Ishikawa prefecture. The show was titled, "The Way of the Tea Ceremony of Kaga." Eight unique craftsmen members showed their works and there was a tea ceremony demonstration.

Making lacquerware in Yamanaka and master at the lathe, Eiko Tanaka, with her cheerful personality, was in her twenties. What I remember most about her first show in New York was her beaming energy and confidence. So I asked, "You aren't nervous at all, are you?" to which she responded with laughter and delight, "I'm very VERY nervous."  It was her overwhelming nerves that revealed itself as buoyant self-assurance.

Born in Aichi prefecture, she apprenticed under the wood grain master Torao Nakajima. After establishing her own atelier, she applied the lacquer techniques she learned as a student to finish every piece with her own hands.

The world of traditional crafts has specializations. Typically, a master wood turner does not also handle lacquer; that is the work of a lacquerware craftsman.

She is an outsider who has not been confined to the traditional roles in craft making in order to make her art. However, she has also spoken of the difficulty in placing herself within the history of traditional craftsmanship. She has taught me that her work, though it is made by traditional techniques and inherits that traditional spirit, is not traditional, but a new form of craft-making still in the trial-and-error phase. The younger generation of artists can embrace this form of traditional craft while working with the knowledge and experience of their predecessors.

At Sara Japanese Pottery, it has become an annual event, where every October we invite these two artists from Kaga, the master wood-turner, Eiko Tanaka, and the Kutani-ware artist, Ruri Takeuchi, to have an exhibition. Interest in the show continues to grow; admirers are entranced by their artwork. Tradition is not an adversary, but in fact, a strong ally.

 

伝統敵じゃない。

 
瑛子さんがニューヨークに初めて来たのは、2011年10月だった。
石川県 加賀の、ギャラリー萩のオーナー下口豊子氏による、加賀のクラフトを世界に紹介する会の2年目のメンバーの一人としてやって来た。
The way of the tea ceremony of Kagaと題して、総勢8人のそれぞれ違ったカテゴリーの作家達の作品を展示、茶の湯のデモンストレーションも行った。
山中漆器の轆轤師、田中瑛子さんは未だ20代でよく笑う明るい人柄。
初めてのニューヨークの作品展にはしゃいでいる様に見えたので、緊張はしていないようですね、と聞くと、めちゃくちゃ緊張しています！と楽しそうに答えていたのが印象に残っている。はしゃいでいたのは、緊張のあまりの事だったのかと気づいた。

愛知県出身、木地師 中嶋虎男に師事、独立後は学生時代から学んできた漆の技術を使い、自らの手で作品を仕上げている。
伝統工芸の世界は分業制で、普通、轆轤師は漆は扱わない。漆は漆職人の仕事なのだ。
外からやって来た人間なので、伝統にとらわれずに物作りが
出来るということも有りますね、と答えながら、歴史のある伝統工芸の世界に身を置く難しさもあると話していた。伝統の技を学び精神を受け継ぎながらも新し い物造りに試行錯誤している姿は、若い世代の作家たちが伝統を受け入れることを拒む事なく、先人の知恵と工夫を味方につけて新たな作品作りに挑んでいるの だと私に教えてくれた。

我がSara Japanese Potteryでは、毎年10月が加賀の2人、轆轤師の田中瑛子と九谷焼の竹内瑠璃の展覧会というのが定着し始めて、ファンも年々増えている。皆彼らの作品に夢中だ。伝統は敵じゃない、強い味方なのだ。
 

Penguin Pitcher S φ3"1/2 x H4"1/4 $530 (left)
Penguin Pitcher S φ3"1/4 x H4"   $530 (center)
Penguin Pitcher S φ3"1/4 x H 4"1/4   $580 (right)
made of Japanese Horse Chestnuts

Penguin Pitcher S φ3"1/2 x H3"3/4 $430 (left)
Penguin Pitcher SS φ3" x H2"3/4   $330 (right) made of Japanese Horse Chestnuts

 

 

Ruri Takeuchi's Works will be returning to Japan : until 2/14

 

As porcelain painting artist, Ruri Takeuchi, will have an exhibition, the works will be returning to Japan.
If you still have them in your mind, please stop by at Sara Japanese Pottery.
The works are available until February 14th Sat. If you are far from New York, please feel free to contact us, we are happy to assist you.

 

Ruri Takeuchi is an artist who paints exquisitely fine motifs on porcelain pieces - boxes, incense holders, or small figurines.
A native of Nara prefecture, in Japan, Ruri studied at Kyoto's School of Traditional Arts and Crafts.  Upon graduation, she apprenticed under Chousa Yamamoto, a renown porcelain artist, and became entranced by traditional Kaga crafts and Kutani porcelain painting.  She would spend four years learning and developing her techniques in porcelain painting.In 2010, Sara Japanese Pottery held a group exhibition, "KAGAKUTANI in NY 2010," where she premiered her vivid designs as an independent artist, not as a learner.
"Microscopic Craft from KAGA" will be Ruri's fourth time showing in New York
“With each individual work, including the title, I condense a single universe into that piece.  The motifs are mostly inspired by nature, and I find it most satisfying when someone is able to look at my work and experience a soft breeze, hear the voice of a bird, or recreate a feeling from some story.”   -Ruri Takeuchi

Her works are as she describes them.  She encapsulates a single scene from nature into a design with lush green leaves surrounding a marten or rabbit, or an elegant expression of a bird with glamorous feathers.
Her brushstrokes, the point tapered to a single hair, paint thin and wispy lines.  It is with her steady hand and delicate brush that she draws the outline and applies the color to fill the design, and which compels her precise and beautiful craft.

Bird with Flowering Branch Large Plate by Ruri Takeuchi

Ruri Takeuchi's imagination runs wild with the ancient history of counties from another world.

The Chinese lute or five-stringed biwa (Japanese lute) made of mother of pearl and rosewood, found in Nara's ‪Shōsōin, are treasures that she deems most valuable. On the back of either lute, there is an exquisite design of a bird holding a flowering branch.‬

The motif of a bird holding a flowering branch, which is as old as the Sasanian Empire in Persia, symbolizes good fortune and luck. The design illustrates an auspicious bird, such as the Chinese Phoenix or crane, holding a branch with flower blossoms.

Ruri Takeuchi's Bird with Flowering Branch large plate aspires to this famed pattern and is one of her greatest works.

On the outer edge is an arabesque pattern painted with gold leaf; looking closely, chrysanthemums are placed evenly between the arabesque tendrils. Adjacent is an even more detailed shippou, interlocking rings pattern, in gold leaf. This is used to frame the full and saturated painting of a climbing rose in full bloom and three green parrots.

 
Each vibrant leaf is delicately drawn, coated in layers of paint with a hint of brown at the tip of the leaf. The rose petals are a beautiful and elegant pale pink; the stamen and pistil are painted yellow. Its entirety was carefully outlined with a thin brush, then filled with colors. The paint never deviates from the outline and there are no outlined spaces left blank to be found. The layers of paint create a raised texture that uses deep and light colors for shading. The reverse side is painted with the gold pattern and a climbing rose. Five rings of the gold painted motif reach toward the inner foot of the dish and written in the middle are the characters "瑠璃" (Ruri).

The feathers of the green parrots with round bead eyes were painted with multiple layers of fine thin strokes and fired in the kiln after each layer; it was fired four times. A near realistic depiction and texture of bird feathers, one-by-one, among the layers of paint and infinite number of strokes, the luster disappears to reveal a sparkling brightness and movement.

At a simple glance, one would ask exactly what color is being used for this parrot? From the base of its beak to its cheeks is a faint blue-green color, then a deep blue-green, lime green and brown is used to show the overlapping feathers. No outlines are drawn and filled in for the feathers, emphasizing the contrast when surrounding the climbing rose.
What makes this Bird with Flowering Branch pattern Ruri's own is that the birds are not holding the branch. It is as if it were a riddle for those who see and understand the pattern and her design.

While looking at this piece, my thoughts are also swept into the ancient times of a country from another world.

 

 

竹内瑠璃 花喰い鳥大皿

竹内瑠璃は、いにしえの遠い異国へ思いを馳せる。

奈良、正倉院の螺鈿紫檀阮咸(らでんしたんのげんかん)や螺鈿紫檀五弦琵琶（らでんしたんごげんびわ）は、瑠璃の憧れの宝物だ。
どちらも背面に花喰い鳥の意匠が美しい。
花喰い鳥のモチーフは、古くササン朝ペルシャ伝来で、吉祥文様の代表的な図柄。
鳳凰や鶴などの瑞鳥（ずいちょう）が花の付いた枝などをくわえた姿の文様である。

竹内瑠璃の花喰い鳥の大皿は、そんな憧れを形にした大作だ。
外側に唐草の金彩、よく見ると菊を等間隔に挟んである。
その一つ内側には、より細かな七宝文様の金彩。
その枠からはみ出す形で皿面一杯に描かれた満開の蔓薔薇の枝に緑のインコが３羽とまっている。

瑞々しい葉の一つ一つは丁寧に絵の具が乗せられて、葉先には、ほんのりと茶色を副えてある。蔓薔薇の花びらは淡いピンクで、艶やか。
おしべ、めしべは黄色で描かれている。
どれも線描き絵の具で丁寧に描かれた中に色絵の具を入れてある。
決して、はみ出す事無く、また塗り残しなど見つけられない。
濃く薄く絵の具で盛り上げられた濃淡が立体的だ。
裏面にも金彩と蔓薔薇がある。
５重に描かれた金彩は高台の内側にも及んでいて、その真ん中に『瑠璃』の文字が書かれている。

丸いつぶらな瞳を持った緑のインコの羽は、細い線を何度も塗り重ねて、実際４度も焼成を重ねて描かれている。
まるで本物の鳥の羽のような質感、羽1枚1枚に描かれた無数の線の重なりによって、艶の消された中に、きらきらと光る躍動感が表現されている。
一見、単色のこのインコに一体何色の絵の具が使われているのだろうか。
くちばしの付け根から頬にかけては、うっすら青い色、羽の重なりを表現するために濃い緑、黄緑、茶色も見える。
羽には線描き絵の具の枠取りは無く、縁取られた蔓薔薇とのコントラストを際立たせている。

花喰い鳥なのに花をくわえていないのは、彼女らしい所だろう。見る人が見れば分かるという謎かけにも似たデザインだ。

この作品を見ながら、私もいにしえの遠い異国へ思いを馳せる。

 

Best Selected Works at Sara Japanese Pottery

Sara Japanese Pottery has developed traditional and contemporary pottery artists as well as craftsmen with our 25-year-history.
We have now great works which should be taken over to the next generations.
Today we'd like to introduce the best selected works from Sara Japanese Pottery.

*We are open 7 days a week in December, except Dec. 25th and 31st.

 

 

Unglazed Tea Bowl with Wooden Box
by Takashi Nakazato
$5,400

Takashi Nakazato
Born as the fifth son in 1937 in Karatsu, saga Prefecture, into a family with an extremely long history of participation in creative pottery work. Takashi's father, Taroemon Nakazato, was a living national treasure in Japan.

" Kintsugi " Bowl
Bowl by Takashi Nakazato
Resoration (Kintsugi) by Gen Saratani $3,500

 Takashi Nakazato
Born as the fifth son in 1937 in Karatsu, saga Prefecture, into a family with an extremely long history of participation in creative pottery work. Takashi's father, Taroemon Nakazato, was a living national treasure in Japan.

 Gen Saratani
A lacquerware artist working in the United States, is exceptional in his innovative design and style. In addition to restoring worn pieces to their original luster using traditional Japanese lacquer techniques and materials, his work reignites the long-standing art of Japanese lacquerware in our modern day world with imaginative designs and vivid figures such as ants or lobsters.

 

Hand-Blown Glass Bowl with Foot
by Fujiko Enami
$2,000

  Fujiko Enami
" In my assistant years, I especially learned about color combination of glass from Jim and Deborah. After I returned to Japan, I started making murrine works with Ushio Konishi to find out our own way. In 2011, I was selected in " The Yearing Venetian Glass Exhibition " at Suntory Museum in Tokyo. I am always trying to find out new and original art expression in my work. "

 Hand-Painted Porcelain Platter

by Ruri Takeuchi

$6,000

 Ruri Takeuchi
“With each individual work, including the title, I condense a single universe into that piece.  The motifs are mostly inspired by nature, and I find it most satisfying when someone is able to look at my work and experience a soft breeze, hear the voice of a bird, or recreate a feeling from some story.”

 Hand-Curved and Lacquered Serving Bowl

by Eiko Tanaka

$800

 Eiko Tanaka

As the lathe turns, she uses her sharpened utensils to carefully carve out a light and delicate form.  From a traditional form of artistry, her exquisite skill and confidence comes from experience and passion; she listens and reacts to the wood while shaping its surfaces. Eiko's refined techniques are guided by the beauty of the wood grain, which radiates from beneath the layer of lacquer.  Every work, though contemporary, is every bit intertwined with its history.

 

 Lacquerd Panel " Gerbera "

by Gen Saratani

$2,200 each

 Lacquerd Panel " Zebra "
by Gen Saratani
$2,200

Gen Saratani
A lacquerware artist working in the United States, is exceptional in his innovative design and style. In addition to restoring worn pieces to their original luster using traditional Japanese lacquer techniques and materials, his work reignites the long-standing art of Japanese lacquerware in our modern day world with imaginative designs and vivid figures such as ants or lobsters.