Ceramic Moon Pot with Rattle by Toshiko Takaezu

A ceramic closed-form pot with rattle by Japanese American artist Toshiko Takaezu (American, 1922 - 2011).
The story: In the 1980s, potter Lola Rae invited Toshika to her ceramic studio and kiln in Ojai, CA to teach a class. Lola Rae had previously worked as a studio assistant for artist Beatrice Wood for eight years. This pot was one of the pieces Toshiko made on site during the class and workshop. Together with the other pot on offer, they stayed in Lola Rae's personal collection until now offered by us Tishu Gallery Atlanta.
The vessel: The closed-form pot features a slight irregular form with circumvent grooves, typical of the artist's handwork. It has a very soft glaze color with intricate variation. The lower portion of the body is covered in a yellow-beige glaze. The upper portion from the sprout down to the shoulder is covered in a swirl of layered and mottled colors. There was a noticeable lavender-purple hue under the celadon-grey overlay, the oxidation during the firing process resulted in an almost "hair-fur" effect. The colors are subtle at a glance but intensified as one look at it closely. The swirling and furry patterns are also very subdued and requires one's attention to appreciate. Two specks of purplish marks are still visible from the use of that glaze. There are a few scattered kiln grits on the body as well as on the base, creating a wabi-sabi aesthetic. A rattle was placed in the pot and make wonderful sound. The base was marked with the artist's TT signature.
The iconic close-form vessel by the artist takes the simplest organic form but is instilled with a deeper philosophy. The void space and the air trapped inside of the pot was considered by the artist as important as the physical material that defines the space. They were created with the artist's signature abstract and poetic approach: free hand and wabi-sabi. The artist's work, heavily influenced by the Japanese ceramic tradition and aesthetics, elevated pottery into the status of fine art.