CONCEPT
Artist Takahiro Kondo, who supervises Rokuryu Kiln, has created pieces around the concept of "Water Born from Fire".
Sometsuke originated in China, where it is is called "Qinghua" (blue flower). The deep blue hues are used to depict the motifs representing the natural world: water, the root of all life, is thus integral in both the design concept and the production process.
Rokuryu Kiln Sometsuke: Pure Water born from Fire
Materials
Rokuryu Kiln uses natural gosu for dyeing and natural wood ash for glaze.
Sometsuke is a type of ceramic that is painted with cobalt pigment on white porcelain.
Gosu is a naturally occurring ore containing cobalt. At Rokuryugama, we use Chinese gosu, which has been passed down through the Kondo family. This dark-colored gosu is blended to harmonize with the white of porcelain clay, which has been used in Kyoto since ancient times.
Climbing Kiln
Rokuryu Climbing Kiln was built in Hanase, Sakyo Ward, Kyoto City. The firing process is overseen by Takahiro Kondo, who has experience working in three wood-fired kilns, and Bizen kiln-maker Kenpachiro Watanabe. Rokuryu Kiln practices sustainability combining the red pine used in the firing process with lumber harvested from the thinning of forests in the local Kyoto area.
