After the rains…

After 4 days of non stop 24 hour rain the skies finally broke yesterday and the evening light was just stunning. The whole landscape awash in a green filter from the mountains and rice fields. Such a joy to see blue sky after so many days of grey.

This has been some of the worst weather in Japans’ recent history, to date at least 60 people have been killed, the same number still missing. Over a million evacuated. It’s shocking to see the images on tv of Kurashiki, close to Bizen, engulfed in the floods.

A local graveyard where Chihiro’s grandparents ashes are laid has been completely destroyed as a landslide swallowed it up. This kind of weather, with the mud and waste that ensues means a nightmare of a clear up job, and the scale of it is unprecedented

Reminders of the power of nature come often in Japan…


Cleaning up!

After the firing, and exhibitions and events that seem to run back to back immediately after, my workshop gets a bit neglected for a while. Good to be back in to give everything a clean up ready to start making again!

 


Gallery Ryu exhibition

A few photos from my exhibition at Gallery Ryu in Kyoto. Last day tomorrow, then it’s back to get on with splitting wood and getting clay prepared for the autumn firing.


Exhibition in Kyoto

Gallery Ryu is in an old style town house near Daitokuji temple in Kyoto. In days gone by the gallery was a weaving workshop for traditional kyoto textiles. It has now been completely reformed but it’s original character has not been lost.

My exhibition there starts on May 30 and runs through to June 10, so if you are in or around Kyoto please drop by to take a look!

 


Yakimono World!

This years Nagoya Yakimono World is now on at Nagoya Castle. It’s the fourth time I have had a shop at the event, which has moved from Nagoya Dome to the castle this year. Probably Japan’s largest ceramics festival, about 200,000 people usually come through the week.

My booth F-05!

Event runs from May 18-27 2018


Spring Firing.

Firing now as I write, kiln no.19 with a couple of days to go.

I know I must be a bit late with this one as it’s the first time I’ve fired when the cherry blossoms are out in full. Wonderful weather all week which makes a change as well –  I usually seem to get at least a couple of days rain during the firing. And a mild winter with not much snow means the wood is all surprisingly well dried out!

Exhibitions in Nagoya and Osaka over the next couple of weeks, details coming soon!