Thoughts on Scale - New Sake Cups
I'm very happy to share the newest selection of sake ware from my last firing. The works are available for viewing and purchase in my online store.
Many of us are familiar with the expression of a chawan's ability to condense all of time into a single bowl - thus eliminating the relationship between size of object and size of content. Historically, it is a form containing strong references to the often intangible and immeasurable universe. This act of condensing is a challenge which I confront in all of my work, using the tea bowl and its symbolic capacities as the metaphorical framework for the pursuit. In essence, the smaller the work, the harder it becomes to express vastness. This is specifically a concern with sake ware and other small cups. It is a challenge not only framed by functional concerns - as the act of drinking is of primary importance - but also of the ability for the maker to practice restraint. When proper restraint is shown, the world outside is allowed to enter and flow freely into the space - much like opening a window in a home. Space outside becomes inseparable from the space within. Never full, never empty. It is my hope that, while small, these works may be seen as capable of containing much more than the liquid they serve.