A Set of Two Zen Tea Bowls Chawan by Makoto Yabe

Made by Japanese ceramic artist Makoto Yabe (1947-2005), these two tea blows (known as chawans in Japanese) reflect a deep beauty of Wabi Sabi, a Zen aesthetic that is rooted in the Japanese art and way of living. Transitionally used in the tea ceremony, chawans were perished by their organic forms, earthy tones or glazes, and the imperfect appeals that are considered perfection. One of the tea bowls was made in Nerikomi technique, with a slip of blue slabs incorporated in the main clay; The other tea bowl emphasizes its beauty on its rabbit-fur like glaze and the natural explosions during the firing process.
Both were incised with the artist's cipher.
"Makoto Yabe's work beautifully exemplifies the transmission of Japanese ceramics to the West. Born in Fukushima, Japan, Yabe began studying ceramics in Kyoto at the age of nine. He completed his training at the age of 24, with a four-year apprenticeship under Jinmatsu Uno and Sango Uno. Yabe then came to Boston, where he was an integral member of the local ceramic community, yet he maintained his Japanese roots. As an instructor of ceramics, Yabe worked in the Boston area at numerous schools and universities, touching the lives of all his students and expanding their knowledge and appreciation of studio ceramics."
Biography sited from Pucker Gallery Boston.