The Deshi's Journey

摘要

There is a beauty in nature, which we all understand. It is not subject to the superficial tides of fashion nor exclusive to any race, culture, or creed. It is quiet and unassuming and is born of a life in rhythm with nature, where the act of living itself becomes art. This is the essence, the core, of the Mingei philosophy - a philosophy that has guided my life and my work. A journey I began as a deshi under Tatsuzo Shimaoka, Living National Treasure, in Mashiko, Japan, over twenty years ago. I sit quietly at my wooden kickwheel throwing yunomi (teacups for everyday use), just the sound of my bare foot beating rhythmically on the smooth wood, the singing of the kettle on the stove, and the susurration of the snow blowing past the window. Steam rises from my wet hands and the musty fragrance of earthen floors and fresh clay hang in the cold air. I remember other days like this, half a lifetime ago.