Sunday, February 11, 2007


SHIMIZU UICHI


Tea Bowl
Celadon

Shimizu Uichi was a potter and Living National Treasure who lived in our village. He died in 2004. These are two of his tea bowls. More Shimizu Uichi works here and here.

Tea Bowl
Stoneware with Horai-type Iron Glaze
Chinese Character Design "Wind"


In 1985, Shimizu Uichi (1926-2004) was designated a Living National Treasure. Born into a family of ceramic wholesalers in Gojo-zaka, Kyoto, Shimizu later decided to become a potter. In 1970 he moved to Shiga Town in Shiga Prefecture, where he gathered clays and glazing materials from the Hira Mountains and built the noborigama (climbing kiln) he named Horai-yo (Horai kiln), in which he fired the works for which he is famed.

5 comments:

Joy Des Jardins said...

These are just beautiful Robert...I especially like the 2nd one. Thanks for the links to some really wonderful pieces. Mr. Uichi was quite an artist.

Robert Brady said...

Yes, he developed that white foamy glaze using materials he gathered from these mountains, as was his preference. The uniqueness of his materials (as evident in the second picture) is one thing that sets him apart.

Anonymous said...

Very, very nice workmanship. Yay for Shimizu! Thank you Robert.

Anonymous said...

Very very lovely. I want to hold them in my hands.

Tabor

Anonymous said...

they both look so pretty especially the first one.