Live long. See or Make beautiful things.

a ray of sun
I have recently enough started to slowly learn step-by-step how to “throw” clay on a potter’s wheel : so far for me the magic of making weird and wonderful useful things to eat from. I have a lovely (male) teacher, but I am discovering inspiring women working at pottery into their later years, what a lovely thought. I did mention here my firm intention to live long.
So I’d like to salute here three beautiful women-potters, Lucie Rie, Beatrice Wood and Toshiko Takaezu in the order that I happened upon them and their work, they came forth to meet me. Lucie Rie lived until the age of 93 and made vessels that would truly speak to me : they may be photographed as museum pieces but I hear them say “be grateful to be alive, for the food that you have as you eat from me”.
Do watch this heart-warming film showing Beatrice Wood in action : her beautiful spirit kept her alive until she was 105, you can understand when you see and listen to her.

This portrait of Toshiko Takaezu (1922-2011) starts with her talking about the magic of growing vegetables so we do inhabit the same planet.

8 comments

  1. Thank you so much for this wonderful film about Toshiko Takaezu – I had seen her work once but forgotten about her. And you brought this back to me. Thank you, Suzanne

    • You are most welcome. You may never forget about her again now that she has come back into your life ! Such a lovely person to have around us in some way.

    • Yes ! What I hear : Life’s work is striving/aiming to become yourself, and as you get closer you find yourself connected to nature, to everything and everyone : smiling, and at peace. That’ll be my programme.
      Hope you are well and enjoying your talks with plants M-A

  2. I’ll join you on that wonderful path! When Toshiko said that maybe a potato was more important than her pots she completely won me over. Even though her work is powerful and beautiful i know what she means! Still talking to plants, but took a year out of herbal apprenticeship – somehow feel there is a parallel path that I need to take. One day will stumble upon it! In the meanwhile there are so many plants to befriend 🙂 Karen

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