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Takeshi Yasuda Workshop

After a brief introduction Takeshi Yasuda
bean his presentation by throwing a
number ot items including a basket'vase, a
jug. a platter, a plate, a pillow vase and
bowls. The throwing of these icems was
paced while fielding questions from the
audience covering practical and
philosophical applications.

With his wheel spinning clock-wise and
working on che left side of the wheel,
Takeshi dropped che clay on the wheelhead,
where he slapped and pounded it, first
roughly centered, then roughly opened to
the desired width, with a minimum of water
he quickly crued it up and completed the
throwing, somerimes using his thick wooden
ribs to compress or add ribbed whorls.

Commenting on clay consistency, he
advocated the use of soft clay, "Choose che
clay for the impression you want", and that
“sole clay responds to your hand more
immediately". Takeshi also spoke of soft
clay in terms of safety, by placing less stress
on your fingertips, knuckles and the heel of
your hand.

Takeshi received an ovation at one point as
the wall section of a large oval dish flew off
the wheel head at high speed, blasting his
throwing bucket and contents of the wheel
across the throwing area into the front row
of the audience!

While shaping a vase, Takeshi also
commented on forming curves, suggesting
that a curve enhanced solely from the inside
or the ouside would give “shape bur not
expression”, a combination of boch forming
methods would help attain the desired
accent. A discussion of clay and materials
was also provided before Takeshi asked
participants to hold questions to allow him
ta complece the remaining throwing for the
next day's assemblage.

The second day began with a small cloud as
Takeshi announced he did not have his
special apron. Gamely, he pushed on. A
short time later Takako arrived, presenting
it freshly laundered, pressed and neatly
folded, brass firings glearting. As the
applause subsided, Takeshi quickly began
finishing the previous day's work.
Suspending a platter in a chuck, he began

“throwing down", using one of his thick
wooden ribs to push the once flat borsm
into a bowl-like interiors. He first chested
the chuck with a device he made by
cutting out the bortom of a film container,
then around the bortom half he formed a
small cheese cloth bag, secured by an
elastic band, Then popping tie cap he
filled it with corm starch (corn flour). This
was then used co dust the chuck tim or
any other surface he wanted an easy
release from. Takeshi pointed out he
preferred corn starch as it is organic and
burns out completely in the firing.

At one poine Takeshi suggested we set
ourselves assignments for the purpose of
experimentation. The example he
provided was rolling out a number of
identical handles which one by one he
altered in a slightly different way from its
predecessor. Working through che
progression he then sat back and arranged
them inte separate groups co assess them.
While discussing the philosophical potnes
related to perception, Takeshi cautioned
us that language can incerfere with your
own instinct and lead te
intellectualization of what is perceived.

Thanks go out the four groups (ECLAD,
BC Potters Guild, Fraser Valley Potters
Guild and the Shadbolt Cenore} who
organized and hosted the various aspects
of Takeshi's exhibicion at the Gallery of
BC Ceramics and the lecture, slide show
at ECLAD, and the workshop itself at the
Shadbole Centre of che Arts. Special
thanks co all the individuals who gave of
their time hosting receptions, billeting,
wedging clay, hauling wheels and cables,
organizing refreshments and all the other
jobs necessary in bringing off such an
event, With such a major workshop it
was advantageous to draw upon the
resources of the organizations involved.
An evenc such as this involved the
combined efforts of dezens of volunteers.
Their efforts were rewarded by the
enjoyment and benefits to the more than

50 workshop participants,

And finally, our chanks to Takeshi for
providing us an insight into his carefully
comidered way of working. looking and
thinking about the way we approach
working with clay. Combining a oxture
of humour, personal philosophy and a
mastery of technique and materials,
Takeshi reminds us to “permis yourself the
time to play”,

Darrel Hancock
A few more quotes from Takeshi;

“We are born with a sense of guilt over
thick throwing —the potters’ original

sin"

“T decided to throw thick because it
expresses my senses better”

“T's mot my intention to give an excuse
to a lazy person”

“Learn spiral wedging if you want to
learn a potter's status symbol”

*Pottery machines always need attention
and space” (commenting on his ultra-
spartan studia)

“We potters try to judge the form of an
object by its profile, We can't grasp
form in everyday angles, don’t we trust
our everyday experiences!”

"We distrust our sensuality, our
memories & our everyday experiences”