Late 20th century
Japan
Ceramic
5 1/2″ high x 4″ diameter

Kiyoharu Ichino was born in 1957 in Tachikui from a long line of potters, and his studies commenced as a child. By 1983, he had established his own studio. In 1995, he was nominated to be a permanent member of The Japan Crafts Association, an honor bestowed upon a select few. His work emerges from the tradition of Tanba pottery, which has developed over centuries in the mountains northwest of Kyoto, where the soil is particularly rich and ferrous.

“Traditional Tanba pottery is fired unglazed at very high temperature in large wood-fueled kilns. Ichino uses both an anagama (hole kiln) and a noborigama (climbing kiln), burning almost a thousand bundles of wood over several days to bring out the unique personalities of Tanba clay, which is renowned for its rich texture and deep purplish brown colors. Many of his pieces show silvery fire-marks left by the wood fire. To show the unique clay texture, he often includes seemingly unfinished edges in his designs, exposing the rough clay body. Despite the high level of sophistication and innovation, Ichino’s works maintain a strong connection with the ancient Tanba pottery tradition.” (quote courtesy of Touching Stone gallery)