Final Firing Exhibition Booklet 1990

THE FINAL FIRING
ANAGAMA POTTERY

ESTELLE and BRUCE MARTIN

SEPTEMBER 7 – OCTOBER 22

H B EXHIBITION CENTRE
HASTINGS

ANAGAMA

These pots made by Estelle and Bruce Martin are unique in New Zealand. They are fired in a large, modern day anagama kiln in the traditional manner of ancient times.

Anagama is a Japanese word ‘ana’ meaning hole or cave and ‘gama’ meaning kiln. The original anagama were built directly into clay hill sides as an upward sloping tunnel. First developed in Korea about the 4th century A.D. they were used in Japan from about the 6th through to the 14th century. Traditionally fired with pine wood for an extended time (8-16 days) to produce a very high temperature. The resulting pots were marvellously coloured by the flame, ash from the wood, and the smoke from this long firing. Many fine examples from the 12th-16th century still exist in Japanese museums and collections despite having been through long burial in the ground – a testimony to the strength and durability of anagama pottery.

The Kamaka anagama is approximately 500 cubic feet and is fired only once each year for nine to ten days. We use approximately 25 tonnes of split pine wood during this time with two teams of stokers working 12 hour shifts. The fire is re-stoked every 5-7 minutes on average, and each time another bundle of wood is put into the kiln it disturbs the ash which is carried through the large single chamber by the natural draft to be deposited time after time onto the pots. In this way the pots that were put into the kiln ‘raw’ or unglazed develop their colour and glaze-like coatings.

The natural colours of anagama pottery blend with and enhance the colours of nature in a way that cannot be achieved with any other type of firing.

Estelle and Bruce Martin have been potting since 1957, and were selected as Exhibiting Members of the N Z Society of Potters in 1964. They attended various schools by visiting overseas potters including Gwyn Piggott (Hanson); Shoji Hamada; Ivan McMeekin; Alan Cager-Smith [Caiger-Smith]; Harry Davis; Michael Cardew; Professor Y Konda and Zenji Miyashita, and became full-time potters in 1965.

In 1970 Estelle and Bruce moved to their present site in Hawkes Bay County and set up Kamaka Pottery. Bruce was elected President of the N Z Society of Potters in 1976, and that year Estelle was chosen as selector for the 19th Annual Exhibition of the Society in Christchurch. They formed the H B Association of Potters in 1977, and Bruce was elected President.

In 1978 they first visited Japan where they met Mr Sanyo Fujii, and were captivated with Anagama-fired pottery. Returning to N Z they constructed the Kamaka Anagama kiln and had the first firing in May 1982. A further visit to Japan resulted in Mr Fujii coming to N Z to live and work at Kamaka for 7 months. The second firing in 1983 was followed by a joint exhibition with Mr Fujii at Mitsukoshi Art Gallery, Osaka, Japan.

Their careers have been marked with many successful exhibitions in N Z, Japan and Canada. Bruce received merit awards in the Fletcher Challenge, 1987, and Fletcher Brownbuilt in 1986. He was principal award winner in United Group – Suter Art Award, at 32nd national exhibition of the N Z Society of Potters. Estelle has attained Merit Awards in the Norsewear Art Awards 1988 and 1990.

BRUCE MARTIN

To use an ancient technique of firing to reproduce the wonderful colours and textures of old pottery. To feel a kinship with potters of the past and to try to understand their dedication to a difficult technique and to share their joys of success.

16.   Floor Pot   Bountiful Country   $650
17.   Platter   A Single Shadow 600
18.   Bottle   Smoke   300
19.   Plough   From the Fields   350
20.   Plough   Fragrant Wind   400
21.   Container   Spring Dawn   350
22.   Hanging Vases   A & B   50 ea
23.   Prow   What Lies Beneath   250
24.   Bottle   A Clear Day   450
25.   Boat   In the Bay   450
26.   Boat   Drifting   180
27.   Cylinder   Sun Behind the Hill   250
28.   Hanaire   Waiting for Spring   700
29.   Jar   The Hearth   550
30.   Gate   Guardians of the Gate   250
Small (4)   60 ea

POTS FROM PAST FIRINGS

BRUCE MARTIN

1982   Bottle   ‘Dappled Sunlight’
1983   Mizusashi   ‘Sumner Rocks’
1984   Kinuta   ‘Crashing Waves’
1985   Jar   ‘Moss Garden’
1986   Kogo   ‘Country Houses’
1987   Box   ‘Under the Willows’
1988   Boat   ‘Pearl Boat’
1989   Purple Forest Mizusashi   ‘Purple Forest’

ESTELLE MARTIN

1982   Bottle   ‘Black & Blue’
1983   Vase   ‘Honey’
1984   Cylinder   ‘Four Seasons’
1985   Jar   ‘Bank of Fern’
1986   Mizusashi   ‘Foxes Wedding’
1987   Vase   ‘Sunburst’
1988   Tsubo   ‘’Summer Garden’
1989   Mizusashi   ‘First Snow on the Pine Tree’

These pots are for exhibition only, not for sale.

Cat. No 20

CONDITIONS OF PURCHASE

Purchases must be paid for in full at time of reservation.

Cheques must be marked ‘Not Negotiable’ and made out to: H B Exhibition Centre.

Anyone outside the local area requiring purchase consignment to a home address must include with the purchase price a sum sufficient to meet all freight costs.

Purchases consigned as above are sent at purchases’s [purchaser’s] own risk.

Purchases must remain in the exhibition until its completion.

Purchases must be collected within one week of completion of exhibition – 29 Oct. 1990.

Songs of the Land Series   New Zealand 1990   RUAWHARO TA-U-RANGI HAWKE’S BAY CULTURAL TRUST