An 'Artistic Experience' for those with 'no experience'...

Clay 'Shibui' Orbs. . . .

'Old Woman' and 'Old Man'
(the clay was too dry and kept cracking
so I decided rather than fight it, to just
let the cracks be part of his face and
ornamentation!)

Kanshoku . . .
(another of my favorite Japanese words . . .
and it certainly applies to these
wonderful Orbs!)
meaning . . .
'The object you are touching
touches you back'

Consider

this:

"A water bearer in India had two large pots, each hung on the ends of a pole which he carried across his neck. One of the pots had a crack in it, while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water.

At the end of the long walk from the stream to the house, the cracked pot arrived only half full. For a full two years this went on daily, with the bearer delivering only one and a half pots full of water to his house.

Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments, perfect for which it was made. But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it was able to accomplish only half of what it had been made to do.

After two years of what it perceived to be a bitter failure, the cracked pot spoke to the water bearer one day by the stream. "I am ashamed of myself, and I want to apologize to you. I have been able to deliver only half my load because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your house. Because of my flaws, you have to do all of this work, and you don't get full value from your efforts," the pot said.

The bearer said to the pot, "Did you notice that there were flowers
only on your side of the path, but not on the other pot's side? That's because I have always known about your flaw, and I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back, you've watered them. For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate the table. Without you being just the way you are, there would not be this beauty to grace the house."

Moral: Each of us has our own unique (perceived) flaws. We're all
'cracked pots', but it's the cracks and flaws we each have that make our lives together so very interesting and rewarding. You've just got to take each person for what they are, and look for the good in them."

'Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be bent out of shape'!!!

~ Author Unknown

^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^

^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^

I began making clay 'Shibui' Orbs about ten years ago

and truly enjoy

sharing this ‘Quietude’ art-form

with others.

These hand-formed,

primitive-fired

orbs of clay

can be used
as
a rhythm instrument,

a piece of decorative art,

or as a tool

to remind us

to take a few moments

of ‘quietude’

during the day,

for it is good to remember . . .

“Everything that is . . . comes from the Earth.
When making our orbs, we must listen to the Earth,
And the clay will speak to us.
And we must simply let the clay guide the shape
That it will become.
The clay is alive,
The clay will guide our hands.
We must never go against the will of the clay,
Which is ultimately…the will of the Earth…
And…
The Path of Happiness.”

~ Author Unknown

Orbs . . . Before being ‘primitive-fired’ . . .

After firing . . .

Sunlight on a few orbs . . .one in its ‘raw’ dried state
and some with fresh coats of colour glazes . . .

Too quick putting them into the ‘primitive-fire’…..

^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^

Hand-held with care . . .
Their beauty and colours pulling my attention
To their unique physiques.

Perhaps better left ‘raw’, than attempting to harden their new skins
With ‘Initiation by Fire’,

Yet the flames of the pear tree trimmings called to them . . .
So . . . in they went!

A short life . . .
Before their outside sounds of ‘snap, crackle, pop’
Shot forth the shards of their recent past.

Their skins . . . blackened, pocked and peeling . . .
Yet inside . . .

Their sounds still delight . . .
Being tempered by the fast flame of destiny
Which spewed forth to flow where it may . . .

~ ‘The sounds of Shibui’
Che’usa Sienna Wend - April 1, 2000

^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^

^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^

Nov. 2002 ~ Orbs . . . just out of the 'primitive-fire' and 'slow cooked' this time!!

What fun!

email Che'usa

About Che’usa
Colours of The Wend ~ Ambient Environs'
Clay experiences for those with ‘no experience’
Watercolour for those who do not draw!
Found Sounds ~ Personal Rhythm
Kollage & Communique' ~ Creating interesting correspondence
'The Bowl Lady' and her love for Quartz Crystal Singing Bowls
Mayan Glyphs ~ Me Musing
Mayan-Style Day Counter
As Woman . . . Dreaming

Also: Check out My Musings at
The Orange Wheelbarrow

All original artwork on website © Copyright 2004