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Wada Tozan is an accomplished ceramic artist with over a decade of
experience firing in the raku (raku-yaki) style. He has
developed a unique approach that emphasizes, first and foremost, a vessel's
form over any other aspect. He believes that, in the absence of
images or other embellishments, it is a raku bowl's shape that provides
the first visual clue; color and texture are secondary. So when
first impressions are usually made in an instant, the shape of the bowl
has to be immediately compelling.
Thus, forming a raku bowl becomes a
mental endeavor that requires tremendous focus. Once the basic
shape is made and the bowl is dried, it is slowly carved, bit by bit,
into a vessel that manifests perfectly the shape that Mr. Wada has in
his mind. The process can take days to finish.
This remarkable chawan exemplifies Tozan Wada's
unique approach to raku. A sense of strength is immediately
perceptible in its squared, cylindrical body, yet restrained by the
gentle curvatures around the rim. Grace and balance are conveyed
at the base where the weight of the bowl comes to rest squarely upon a well
crafted footring. The glaze, in turn, adds both warmth and depth
to its overall character.
The bowl is formed entirely by hand in a meticulous coiling technique
and then fired in a special
raku kiln located on the grounds of
Oizumi-gama. As this type of kiln cannot reach the high
temperatures that give stoneware its strength and durability, raku bowls
are naturally lightweight and quite delicate, reflecting the Zen
principle of impermanence in all things.
For more information on Tozan Wada's raku, please click
here.
Wada Tozan's raku glazes are lead-free.
special care instructions
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