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POTTERS
an

COLUMBIA
a

Celadon range,
Cont'd from Page 11

white porcelain with blue
decoration, or plain white
Bouchon ware, which relies
on light-coloured slip over
dark clay, sometimes with
impressed rope or other
decoration, with iron brush-
work. Tea bowls, carefully shaped, rely on the
vagaries of the kiln for spontaneous effects.
A glaze that I find particularly interesting
uses a kiln’s propensity to fluctuate between
oxidation and reduction, wavering on the
edge of each. It produces a grey colour with
minor iron spotting and circles of pink
randomly scattered on the surface, or areas of
pink blush. Understated.

During our stay, we experienced both
Japanese and Korean tea bowl ceremonies.
Formally, the Japanese employ larger bowls.
The Koreans tend to use smaller models,
However, at the Mungyeong festival a year
earlier, I observed Korean men meeting
informally and drinking tea from the larger
bowls, while at booths tea was served in
smaller versions.

On the Celadon Festival grounds we
watched Onggi-style kimchi jars being made

Top left: Tea bowl with areas of pink blush.

Above: Blue and white tea bowls. Right: Even
the lamp stands are celadon!

on a second type of Korean wheel, lower and
wider to accommodate large pieces. Ongegi
is the ethnic ware used throughout South
Korea; all-purpose bowls, dishes, plates and
covered cooking pots of all sizes. Later, at

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an Onggi pottery, I noticed kimchi storage
jars taller that I am. Jars in their hundreds
line streets outside potteries throughout the
country. Standard patterns are part of the
Onggi tradition—a simple dark brown glaze
and little decoration except for incised bands
and marks. Then there are the kilns. Onggi
potteries abound. It is almost as if there is a
large climbing kiln in every back yard. At a
developing Onggi centre, there were no fewer
than four working climbing kilns lined up
beside each other, newest to oldest. The oldest
was falling apart, and each kiln was at least 100
feet long. Wood for firing is found wherever
it's available and includes old furniture. Oh,
and I've seen Onggi kimchi jars used as
chimney parts and as garbage cans!

This is a small taste of one of the most
amazing trips of my life. I] have so many
memories: museums, palaces, temples, Korean
food every day, small cups of sweet instant
coffee, local markets, sculptures, tea, tea
plantations, teapots and tea ware, bus rides,
visits to workshops, our wonderful translator,
exceptional hospitality, developing lasting
friendships, having my name carved on a

Continued on Page 13,
Exceptional hospitality

Potters Guild of BC Newsletter « February 2011

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