| 7 Seas chawan bowls - The Arctic Ocean |
I spent a lot of time thinking about the ocean you gave me to represent-
the way its icy landscape changes shape, how it holds the earth like a
hand that cups around a bowl, the harsh but beautiful environment it inhabits;
free of people, nations and their borders. It is a guiding pole for migrating
birds, our compasses and therefore our way of knowing where our own “home”
is.
Instead of drawing the outline of this ocean, I created works that encompass
the feeling of this sea. My approach was to artistically reinterpret traditional
tea ware through shape, clay and glaze. In my design, the hands of the
person holding the bowl, become the Arctic Ocean- holding the entire world
in their hands, while the bowl itself should evoke thought.
Each piece was carefully carved from a single block over several days using
nothing but my hands, two cutting tools and a piece of fabric to turn the
clay on. |
Annette Lindenberg |
| “Oceans of Silver” Chawan bowl 1 |
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This piece was inspired by the vast glistening water of the ocean, its
ripples and metallic-like shine. The glaze I created took inspiration from
the movement of a classic Shino glaze, which separates in the firing much
like how chunks of ice split apart from one another in the water. The bowl
is slightly oval in shape, guided by the way it was held while I carved
it. |
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| “The crackle of ice” Chawan bowl 2 |
| This tea bowl is decorated in brushstrokes of porcelain and a crackle glaze.
The colour palette is that of earth, ice, water and snow. Each snowy brush
stroke reflects a small part of the outline of the arctic ocean while its
crackle glaze sits like frozen water over it. Over time, this glaze will
discolor and become more beautiful and prominent- it will never look new
again (a reflection on our impact on the planet and this ocean in particular). |
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My works are always finished just before reaching “perfection”- I feel
this allows them to have a sense of humanness and spirit, a harmonious
connection between potter and material. Kurinuki objects tend to move a
lot more than other works in the kiln, as they are “discovered” in the
blocks of clay rather than “created” from them. You do not force the clay
into shape but rather work with it to find when they are complete.
Please note the pieces are marked with my potter’s seal, like all my works,
to show they are made by me.
*Due to the nature of ceramics, tea bowl 1 is a few mm above the height
specifications I was sent, measuring closer to 6.6cm at its high points.
I have therefore added in a third tea bowl which was part of the collection
I created, in case you wish to not use the “Oceans of Silver” tea bowl.
All tea bowls were made to be a little narrower than the width of 11.7cm.
Please accept the tea bowl that you do not wish to use, as a gift of thanks
for inviting me to be part of this wonderful project. |
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