Above: Hokie wring a ligt on wead, Spring (997

Below left: Fidao on Hime Muse wish olin
gods, Spring 1297

Rejow right Fulto standore befumd his sculpture
an plinth; work appros 27 tn high, Spring 1997

IN MEMORIAM
YUKIO YAMAMOTO

March 30 1925 - August 2f 2000

Yukio Yamameso, the buulderol the Tovan kilas at Mal aspina College, passed uway
om Avaust 21, 2000 in Bimey City Japan. Yukio was bom in Kunbara Funasaka
Village, Ako County, Hvogo Prefecture. Im [949 he married Miwako, Who was his
life’ scampamon, He ts survived by Mit ake. and children Shedaand wile ¥ oshika,
Hisanosuke and his wife. Honwm and her husband plus numerous grandchildren,

He truned as a teacher and taught clementary school in Ako und Himept City until
reticementin 1950. As late us 1995 he returned toschoo! as an undergraduate stuxtent
atthe Ceramics Depurtment of Kvote Technical-Textile College. He built a three-
chamber climbing kiln in Himeji. In 1971 he went co Taiwan, The Republic of China
io shy pottery and in [972 he builta four-chambercd climbing kiln. Dunng lSt3
he studied at Manises Seramika University in Spain. [In 1974 he built a firewexd
fueled single chamber ceilar kiln & meters Jong

In the 1980's he built the first of the North American Tozan kilns at Flagstaff,
Angona and in 1995 built the Tovan Kilns in Nanaimo. Yukio's pian was to make
frends in North Amenca to help with the undersianding of people and ceramics.
Yukio's gift was notoniy the technical expertise of aceramuic master kiln builder bur
the gift of binging people together to complete a project. He leaves many friends
in Botsh Columbia and the United Slates.

Yuko has taught us that a wood-fired kiln. can take vou into the world of chaos. From
this, many unusual results can be produced, Some pieces are priceless. A finng can
also be the opposite of beauty, We may consider that some of the works are not good
enough, but we develop a feeling that we do not want to discard even “imperfect”
ones. Yukio also found that muluple firings created some wonderful pieces.

The coming of Yukio te Nanaimo changed the face of pottery in British Columbia
and Canada, His influence allowed potters to liberate their work and produce totally
different, (reer styles. His legacy will continue,

The October firing of the noborgama will be dedicated to Yukio
and at the opening, Genke Takabiashi, a Buddhist monk and
frend of Yukio's will doa simple Buddhist Memonal Ceremony.
The opening of the kiln will be on Sunday October 22.
Maureen Beardsley

These photographs were taken during our visit with Yukio Ferramote in the seriig
of 1997. He was very generous with Ais time and resources while we were in Himeji,
his hometown. He lent as a house for a week where we lived “as the locals” ta-
gether with Bruce Beardsley from Nanaimo and American potter Joe Winter.

He was aman very each in fane with jis clay and fire. Pariticutarly, fe enjoved
working with “bad boy clay" - fis expression; that iy clay that wasn't refined and
predictable. Through clay he was able te confront his own imperfections.

Celia and Keith Rice-Jones

October 2XH) Potters Guild of Roush Columbia