Yaozhiye Tea Bowl

"Yaozhiye" is a dual variation in pottery. It breaks away from the singular milky white of traditional Shino glaze, boldly incorporating high-iron minerals and the crystallization phenomena produced by reduction firing. This is not merely a stacking of glazes, but a fusion and confrontation between "extreme black" and "extreme white" under the high temperatures of the kiln. ■ A Birth Like Alchemical Art: The Ultimate Stretch of Layers • Intertwined Double Glaze Layers: The base layer typically contains high-iron mineral glaze, while the surface is covered with a thick feldspar Shino glaze. • Crystallization and Opacification: At extreme temperatures of 1300°C, the iron minerals in the base layer attempt to break through the white glaze, forming crystal patterns resembling oil droplets or starbursts at the interface – this is the origin of "Yao" (曜). ● Visual and Sensory Characteristics • Visual Appeal: A Symphony of Contrasting Aesthetics The glaze surface exhibits strong visual contrasts. Large areas of milky white lie like thick snow, but where the glaze flows, turns, or is thin, deep brownish-black or even metallic 曜变 (obsidian-like iridescence) spots emerge. This gives a single piece the duality of **"serene white" and "mysterious black."** • Surface Texture: A Dialogue Between Silk and Rock The orange-peel matte texture of the Shino portion interplays with the vitreous luster of the 曜变 areas. Under light, the white parts absorb light while the 曜变 parts shimmer, creating exceptionally rich layers, like gazing at the pre-dawn starry sky within a cup. • Uniqueness: The Unpredictable Path of Fire Due to the differing melting points and fluidity of the two glazes, the distribution of the "Yao" and "Shino" areas in each Yaozhiye piece is entirely random. How fire parts the snow to reveal the stars is entirely up to the kiln's magic. Typical Manifestations (Yaozhiye Characteristics) • Breakthrough Fire Marks: Spots or streaks where the black underglaze penetrates the white glaze. • Thick, Flowing Glaze: Displays the characteristic fullness and flow of Shino glaze, adding a sense of weight to the piece. • Metallic Sheen: Occasional iridescent or metallic glints, like obsidian, seen in the darker areas. 🌕 Work | Yaozhiye Tea Bowl Number | B00005 ❤️ Name | Obsidian Fire 🌿 Glaze Realm | The fire is still moving, just without sound. It follows time, slowly cooling into form. 🌿🍵 Glaze Realm Appreciation | "Stars hidden in snow, profound wonders nurtured in tea." This is more than just a tea bowl; it's a soul dance between the spirit of the night and the warmth of first snow, born from extreme heat. Observe the star-like crystal formations subtly appearing beneath the white glaze, mysterious fingerprints left by the extreme tension between fire and minerals. Deep black like stone, with a dark red flow within. ■ Item: Tea Bowl ■ Dimensions: Diameter 12cm / Height 11cm / Weight 680g (Units: cm) ■ Craftsmanship: Hand-pinched / Oxidation Kiln / Iron / Feldspar / Shino 🔥 Selection Tips ● Flat Rim ● Compositional Balance ● Glaze Variation ● Comfortable Grip 💧 Care Tips ■ Gentle brushing (to avoid scratches) ■ Avoid using detergent when possible (to prevent residue and odor) ■ Air dry after use (to prevent dampness) 🪴 Shih Chi-Yao (施繼堯) The Alchemist of Natural Glazes | Artist Introduction Teacher Shih Chi-Yao is a ceramic artist who perfectly blends scientific spirit with artistic sensibility. After graduating from the Faculty of Law at Waseda University in Japan, he returned to Taiwan and founded the "Shih Chi-Yao Feldspar Pottery Studio." He brought the rigorous logical thinking of law into ceramic art, dedicating over twenty years to glaze research. With an almost laboratory-like precision, he has accumulated over 8,000 glaze test pieces and experienced more than 300 kiln firings, earning him the title "Scientist of Glazes." His works are not just displays of technique but expressions of natural vitality, a duet between natural plant ashes, minerals, and the kiln's fire. ▎ Key Experiences • Professional Background: * Graduate of the Faculty of Law, Waseda University, Japan. * Founder of Shih Chi-Yao Feldspar Pottery Studio. • Representative Exhibitions: * 2012 | "Glazed Robes: Shih Chi-Yao Feldspar Pottery Solo Exhibition" held in Taipei and Taichung. * 2019 | Fo Guang Yuan Museum of Art presented "Mu Wu: Shih Chi-Yao Contemporary Ceramic Art Exhibition." * International Exchange: Multiple invitations to participate in the "Taiwan International Tea Bowl Festival" and various international craft exchange exhibitions. ▎ Creative Characteristics • The Natural Alchemy of Plant Ash Glazes: Teacher Shih excels at capturing nature's gifts, transforming ashes from plants like longan, lychee, pineapple wood, and straw into unique glazes after meticulous washing and grinding. This imbues his works with earthy, profound, and warm colors. • The Art of Ultimate Feldspar Pottery: Building upon the foundation of "Shino ware," he has progressively developed his personalized style of feldspar pottery. He seeks a delicate balance between "human control" and "natural occurrence" in glaze colors, allowing each piece to display rich layers depending on light and angle. • Classic Series Vocabulary: * 【Xuan Yao Series】: Deep, restrained, and mysteriously lustrous feldspar pottery. * 【Fallen Leaf Season】: Tea ware and art pieces where layered colors depict the natural rhythm of autumn leaves falling. • Extension from Practicality to Zen: His works range from exquisite daily tea ware to ceramic plate paintings and large-scale linear sculptures. Recent works incorporate philosophical reflections on "non-self" and "emptiness," presenting a natural aesthetic that embraces fire marks and eschews absolute symmetry. ▎ Creative Philosophy "Ceramics is a lifelong cultivation of constant dialogue with nature." Teacher Shih believes that every glaze formulation and every kiln test is a profound exchange with nature, earth, and fire. Through repeated experimentation, he allows minerals and plant ashes to reveal their most primal vitality in the flames, reflecting the artist's true understanding of the balance between "control" and "letting go." →⚠️ Purchase Notes 🌿 Most works in this gallery are purely handmade. The glaze color, ash deposits, and textures of each piece will vary, which is the natural charm and uniqueness of wood-fired pottery. 🌿 Dimensions are measured by hand. There may be an error of approximately 0.5-1 cm, which is within the normal range. 🌿 During the handmade process, minor production marks may be retained, which are natural expressions of handmade items. 🌿 During the wood-firing process, ash deposits, mineral inclusions, or a rough glaze surface are natural phenomena, not defects. 🌿 Product photos may differ due to variations in lighting. Please refer to the actual product for the actual color. If you have any questions about a piece, feel free to message us. — 🌿 TAS Art Gallery, Recorder of Pottery and Fire —