Pot School

[jk_lewis]

I haven't been too involved in this discussion (but have enjoyed it!!), but my major problem with this discussion of Paul's lovely pots is that they are ROUND. (This seems to be true of so many hand-made pots in the west.)

Most trees are -- and IMO, should be -- displayed in rectangular-to-obviously oval pots.

 

[ABCarve]

I haven't been too involved in this discussion (but have enjoyed it!!), but my major problem with this discussion of Paul's lovely pots is that they are ROUND. (This seems to be true of so many hand-made pots in the west.)

Most trees are -- and IMO, should be -- displayed in rectangular-to-obviously oval pots.

I think this is largely a cost factor. Ovals and rectangles take much more time to make. I think Paul's discussion speaks to the profile of the pot. The visual components of the profile are "mostly" the same for rectangles, ovals or rounds i.e feet, banding, ogee.

 

[JudyB]

But this is not just a discussion of Paul's pots. this is a general discussion about the elements that make up any pot and how it impacts and adds to the overall display of the tree....

 

[Dale Cochoy]

I haven't been too involved in this discussion (but have enjoyed it), but my major problem with this discussion of Paul's lovely pots is that they are ROUND. (This seems to be true of so many hand-made pots in the west.)

Most trees are -- and IMO, should be -- displayed in rectangular-to-obviously oval pots.

Hmmm? JKL, would you actually purchase a high labor hand-made slab-built rectangle from the US if you saw one? Not a slip-poured pot ala Japan/China.

Please, show me a picture of a tree in a rectangle pot that could NEVER go in a round pot.

D.

 

[Japonicus]

Shame this thread was dropped over 5 years ago before touching on shapes.

Then we have the rivets and drums. Are drums only round?
What are rivets on square or oval pots. Have requested a commission of an oval with rivets.

 

[Johnnyd]

This is great thread! I'm for restarting it! What about rivets?

 

[Japonicus]

What about rivets?

I believe they’re called nails I’ve found since that post.
Have bought a couple pots with nails since.

 

[Johnnyd]

I was wondering what they do aesthetically. Maybe balance a feminine pot? I have one with a row at the top and bottom.

 

[sorce]

Nice.

Sorce

 

[Trenthany]

I wish Paul was still active! This was such an educational thread. Does anyone know if he’s still making pots? He’s in my state so I’d love to reach out to him! If you know him put me in touch please!

 

[sorce]

I think rivets are difficult to use because they are more for the pottery than the tree. A way to define a line or bring attention, perhaps to distract from other not so perfect lines on a pot.

So they don't exist to serve a tree or the display of a tree. Making them difficult.

Besides that they go into Ornamentation Points.
The tree should have more Ornamentation Points, bright many jins, wild fall colors, etc.

We didn't yet touch on seasonality either?

Sorce

 

[Potawatomi13]

Here are a few examples Jason.

View attachment 42379

View attachment 42381

View attachment 42382

View attachment 42383

I hope this helps.

Paul

Great looking pots. These raise one question: All feet have broad solid base of contact which tells me Pine, rugged, masculine! Yet all pots are curvacious, soft curves, oval, soft edges which says feminine. How to reconcile seeming conundrum?

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

I wish Paul was still active! This was such an educational thread. Does anyone know if he’s still making pots? He’s in my state so I’d love to reach out to him! If you know him put me in touch please!

Unfortunately, Paul died a few years ago.

R.I.P. Paul Katich - Bellota Pottery

Wow such incredibly sad news... I just read over on one of the Facebook Forums that Paul passed yesterday. I'm not sure of the details but it was certainly unexpected. I have met the man and had a great conversation about pottery and using stainless steel as a medium. He really was a great guy...

www.bonsainut.com

 

[sorce]

Unfortunately, Paul died a few years ago.

R.I.P. Paul Katich - Bellota Pottery

Wow such incredibly sad news... I just read over on one of the Facebook Forums that Paul passed yesterday. I'm not sure of the details but it was certainly unexpected. I have met the man and had a great conversation about pottery and using stainless steel as a medium. He really was a great guy...

www.bonsainut.com

Damn, I was afraid of that.....

RIP...Dale, Jim, Grim and Paul.

Sorce

 

[rockm]

I was wondering what they do aesthetically. Maybe balance a feminine pot? I have one with a row at the top and bottom.

Rivets on pots are meant to resemble the nails on Japanese Taiko drums. The nails hold the drum's skin on the drum--which is why pots with them are sometimes called "Drum pots.". Nailheads on drums come in many different patterns and they provide a kind of rustic symmetry. Since taiko drumming is a traditionally an art performed by men, drum pots are typically used for "masculine" trees--literati pines in particular.

 

[JudyB]

I miss Paul. He made a mean pot...

 

[ABCarve]

Just thought I'd through these into the mix to see how people might react. They are Indonesian.

 

[zanduh]

Just thought I'd through these into the mix to see how people might react. They are Indonesian.

View attachment 327688

Seems to fulfill the purpose of both the pot and the display stand all in one. The turtle feet is amazing but I have to wonder if these are 100,000 dollar pots given the craftsmanship.
Do they have this level of detail for medium and small sized bonsai or just they very large pots?

This also leads me to lament that the US doesn’t have a long enough history to have its own potting lineage to draw inspiration from... but I digress.

 

[JudyB]

I think that the style of those highly detailed pieces work well with the type of trees that they seem to do in Indonesia. They are mostly large and extremely elaborate. Any other type of tree would get lost in something like these.

 

[0soyoung]

I find those Indonesian pots to be quite fascinating and usually the composition is about the pot. The tree is (or trees are) there only to complete the display --> otherwise, one is left to wonder why it is empty. I notice similar impressions with the painted pots often seen in shohin displays = the pot is so much more interesting with something (nondescript) in it.

It seems to be much more difficult to pair up an outstanding detail pot with an outstanding tree. It is done, but I see it as a tour de force akin to a formal upright pine. Harmony is difficult.