Sunday, February 15, 2015

"Book of Tea", Peter Hamann, "Snowflake" Bentley

Tuesday- Clay Share 
"The Book of Tea"
"The Book of Tea", by Okakuzo Kakuzo
In 1906, Okakura Kakuzo wrote "The Book of Tea” for the western audience. He wrote this philosophical essay in english, and it focuses on the role of tea (teaism) to the aesthetic and cultural aspects of Japanese life. This book has been printed many times since 1906 with the most recent printing in 2010 and an expanded edition in 2011. Our copy was printed in 1926. You can download this book onto your tablet via the Gutenberg Project

This year's North Carolina Potters Conference​ will include a portion of the Tea Ceremony on Saturday afternoon and a presentation on Thursday morning titled  "The Japanese Tea Bowl, Context & Perceptions" by Peter Hamann. Peter will be assisted by Shizuko Kohara for the Saturday Tea Ceremony, both are Tea Masters.

"The Book of Tea", by Okakuzo Kakuzo


Thursday - Potters Pick
Peter Hamann
Tea Caddy made by Peter Hamann, Sasayama, Japan
Peter Hamann says "no matter what type of piece I make, my deepest wish and highest goal is to make pieces that people will enjoy viewing and using as much as I enjoy making them." Peter specializes in celadon porcelains... making forms including carved vases, covered jars, tea caddies, and tea bowls. Peter is a Tea Ceremony master and travels to Osaka weekly to study, and he puts on several major Tea Ceremonies a year. Mr. Peter Hamann is a native of Nebraska and has called Japan his home since the early 80's.  

Peter will be a demonstrator for the upcoming North Carolina Potters Conference, Asheboro, NC, March 6-8, 2015. Peter will also be conducting a Tea Ceremony Saturday afternoon. A very special treat for all those that attend the three day conference with optional bonus day at STARworks on March 5, 2015. Registration is filling up fast!   #NCPottersConf 
Peter Hamann, Sasayama, Japan


Sunday - Playing off the Instrument
"Snowflake Bentley"
Wilson A. Bentley (1865-1931)
No two snowflakes are alike----- This discovery was made in the small rural town of Jericho, Vermont by Wilson A. Bentley (1865-1931).

"Under the microscope, I found that snowflakes were miracles of beauty; and it seemed a shame that this beauty should not be seen and appreciated by others. Every crystal was a masterpiece of design and no one design was ever repeated., When a snowflake melted, that design was forever lost. Just that much beauty was gone, without leaving any record behind.".....Wilson "Snowflake" Bentley 1925

Wilson A. Bentley (1865-1931)
We post our: Clay Share - Tuesday,
Potters Pick - Thursday,
Playing off the Instrument - Sunday

1 comment:

ShellHawk said...

Nice to see The Book of Tea! It's really quite a wonderful book!

If you can find one with the original introduction, you'll get a lot more out of it. The more recent introduction (in my opinion) was done by someone who didn't seem to understand or respect the essay or the person who wrote it. I was sort of amazed he deigned to write it.