Historical American Ceramics
 Shoji Hamada Vase |  Mark Freeman's Hamada Homage |
One of this semester’s assignments in my ceramics class at FHSU was to research early American Ceramics and to try and recreate a piece. As with many aspects of American culture, Early American ceramics was actually a melting pot of several cultures.
For this assignment, I started out looking to Warren Mackenzie. Warren was a great American potter. He taught at the University of Minnesota for over 30 years. He played a pivotal role and sparking the Japanese Mingei style in Minnesota. Many fondly referred to this style as “Mingei-sota” It is actually a made up word that references a style of loose and casual everyday pottery. The work was to be well crafted but in a simple organic and often asymetrial way. Much like nature. But upon further reflection I realized that this semester has been about retracing my own roots involving why I chose a life centered on clay. Warren was inspired by and apprenticed under Bernard Leach, an English Potter, who was inspired by Shoji Hamada. Hamada was also an early source of inspiration for me. I remember watching You Tube videos of Hamada throwing. They were so calming. He threw, altered, and decorated with such ease. So I chose a piece by Shoji Hamada. It was thrown simply, with handles added and a quick loose wax design added while glazing. Simple glazing on a strong quiet form. A potter’s pot. For some reason, this resonated with my soul on a deep level. Though the form is similar, the glaze is not. I tried to recreate this piece and quickly realized how well practiced Hamada was with a brush. It is not easy! I learned a lot and came away with even more respect for Shoji.
For this assignment, I started out looking to Warren Mackenzie. Warren was a great American potter. He taught at the University of Minnesota for over 30 years. He played a pivotal role and sparking the Japanese Mingei style in Minnesota. Many fondly referred to this style as “Mingei-sota” It is actually a made up word that references a style of loose and casual everyday pottery. The work was to be well crafted but in a simple organic and often asymetrial way. Much like nature. But upon further reflection I realized that this semester has been about retracing my own roots involving why I chose a life centered on clay. Warren was inspired by and apprenticed under Bernard Leach, an English Potter, who was inspired by Shoji Hamada. Hamada was also an early source of inspiration for me. I remember watching You Tube videos of Hamada throwing. They were so calming. He threw, altered, and decorated with such ease. So I chose a piece by Shoji Hamada. It was thrown simply, with handles added and a quick loose wax design added while glazing. Simple glazing on a strong quiet form. A potter’s pot. For some reason, this resonated with my soul on a deep level. Though the form is similar, the glaze is not. I tried to recreate this piece and quickly realized how well practiced Hamada was with a brush. It is not easy! I learned a lot and came away with even more respect for Shoji.
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