This is an ongoing body of work that began in 2015 and got its name, “Tide Jar”, in 2019 when I exhibited Eight Tide Jars at The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art in New York City.
The traditional Korean Moon Jar, that has been made for more than 700 years, gets its shape, color and name from the moon that orbits the earth.
“Tide” as used here refers to the rise and fall of the seas as caused by the effects of the gravitational forces exerted by that same moon. More specifically, it is the resulting forces of the tides as experienced in the waves and currents; these are irregular forces, motions and energies that vary from gentle to rolling to violent. These jars are subjected to similar type forces, both by me and by the firing kilns.
These Tide Jars are made with materials collected from the shores of the Atlantic Ocean in Rhode Island. They are mostly natural materials, of the earth and the oceans, and created by the environment of where the two meet. Clays, driftwood, seaweed, sand, sea shells, salt, rusty metals and corn husks are all used to make glazes, to feed the fire, or as atmospheric additives inside the kiln to enhance the firing environment. Many of the pieces are fired several times and the firings are extreme in atmosphere and temperature.
Umi No Tsubi translates roughly to Tide Jar.
