Thursday, March 17, 2011

Help for Mashiko ... and getting on with firing




The people of Japan will be digging out and rebuilding from last week's earthquake for a long time, and that doesn't even consider mourning for the thousands of people lost in the tsunami that followed the quake. Those of us who have been reading Euan Craig's continuing blog posts (in the blog links to the right) have a good idea of how one Australian potter and his family are dealing with this terrible event.
Euan lives near Mashiko, the town Shoji Hamada made famous, and his wife works there. Euan's kilns and many of the other kilns in the town were badly damaged or destroyed by the earthquake. So were the museums and many of the homes of Mashiko, a village of many potters. The Leach Pottery in St. Ives, England, has started a fund to help rebuild Mashiko. You can find details at http://www.leachpottery.com/What-s-On/News-Feed.aspx
For many of us, some of our roots in the craft are in that town. It would be good to help.
Meanwhile, I've begun glazing for my next firing. This one with more pots in saggars, a couple of teapots, three big slab trays, a number of small vases and small dishes to fill the spaces between the bigger pots.
Might fire this weekend.
The photos: At top, if I'm reading Euan's blog correctly, is Ken Matsuzaki's kiln, then the front shelves for my firing, and a table of pots destined for a show at the Stove Factory Gallery in Boston at the end of April.

4 comments:

Tracey Broome said...

Well said Hollis, and I am loving those slab trays. Thinking I should try some for Raku and see where that goes!

Unknown said...

As you know, I am new to the gas firing thing...I see you are laying out your shelves with pots- looks like good planning. Would you share your strategy? Do you record what goes where and then stack? Someday I must get to the Cape to visit!!

OccasionalSugar said...

Thanks, Hollis. Your pottery is beautiful!

Hollis Engley said...

Thanks, guys. I'm loving the slab trays, too, Tracey. Or, I should say, I love the first one. I'm hoping these three equal that one and will fit into the April show in Boston. And thanks, Deanna, I do like the looks of those cupcakes.