Of course we also visited Lee's workshop and anagama in which we did a firing.
Lee Love is the organizer of this Mashiko gathering workshop in visiting a lot of prominent Mashiko potters.
He did a wonderful job and I think we were all able to see some divinity in the masters of Mashiko and nature around us and to find some of it in ourselves.

This is Lee's "Ikuru" ("To Live"!) anagama (one chamber wood fire kiln).
The kiln is a modern, high efficient, woodkiln using waste wood for fuel, which is friendly to the environment.

Lee makes functional pottery in an effort to preserve local culture in our modern throw-away society. His main goal is to inspire other people to make their own creative work. Human beings have always worked with their hands. "We are creators", he says. "We need both creativity and Nature to be healthy and whole human beings. Making and using handmade pottery is one way to bring nature and culture together in human life".

Lee stokes the anagama.


He was an apprentice for Shimaoka Tatsuzo from 2000-2003. Then he established his kiln and studio in Mashiko. He studies the cycles of nature, farming and their relationship to traditional pottery making.

Lee talks to Jim Laub, while Mike Martino looks at Lee's display.






Lee shows the rope rolling inlay.




This is the wood fired result "guinomi".




Display of Lee's work.