MILTON MOON Personal but not Private
PILBARA
JAPANESE KILNS | POTTERS | FAMOUS JAPANESE POTTERS with MILTON MOON | PILBARAKiln-firing at night in Kyoto, Japan. One of the few remaining wood-fire kilns in Kyoto. Close to a half century ago kilns were being relocated to the country-side for environmental reasons.
This kiln is called a Hebi-gama and belonged to Fujio Koyama at his home and workshop in Gifu. Wood-fire kiln in Kyoto After the firing rewards hopefully follow Kiln firing at the workshop of Tatsuzo Shimaoka in the mid seventies, forty years ago. It might look like a heap of rubble but it is the famed kiln of Toyozo Arakawa. Side view of the kiln of Toyozo Arakawa. Fujio Koyama: the date is 1974 and this scholar/potter was throwing pots for what was to be his last exhibition. He died before the exhibition was held in 1975 The Living National Treasure Shoji Hamada in 1974 with a pot selected for the Art Gallery of South Australia. Shoji Hamada also signed a copy of the 'Unknown Craftsman, the writings of Soetsu Yanagi' for me. He didn't grab the nearest ball -point but had ink prepared especially - for a twenty second job.
The Living National Treasure Shoji Hamada in 1974 At the home and workshop of Tatuzo Shimaoka in 1974 Mervin Feeney, 1980.
potter, engineer, industrial chemist,
friend and teacher.A potter's kiln-god. Holding a tokkori, with flames and inscribed Buddha and Kiln. Who knows the origin of this piece. I showed the picture to Bernard Leach, shortly before he died and remarked on the coincidence of this piece coming into my hands. He poked me the with a bony finger and remarked 'this was no coincidence.' I like to think he may may have been right.
Seimei and Kyo Tsuji at their home and workshop in the near country outside Tokyo.
www.e-yakimono.net
Robert Yellin's gallery is a must for those visiting Kyoto. Close by Ginkakuji temple his home/gallery is in a classical Japanese house and his collection of pots is splendid.
His gallery link is below.
The Pilbara area of Western Australia.
The Pilbara area of Western Australia. Remote, vast, the source of iron oxide.
Sunset in the Pilbara MILTON MOON in his workshop at Summertown in 1990
Michael Cardew on a visit to Brisbane in the late 1960's.
Harry Memmott, 1974. 
Anagama
This kiln was built and used at Summertown from the late 1970's until its demolition. It is loosely referred to as an 'Anagama.' It is said that the first 'anagama' in Japan came via Korea in the 5th C. Japan has many historic kiln sites and many of the original 'anagama' were literally little more than enlarged 'rabbit burrows' excavated into sloping mounds, or hills. Over time they became more sophisticated, and now, in many different forms, can be found all over the potting world. They were (and mostly are) wood-fired, but this one at Summertown was fired with both gas and wood.
Te rokuro - a hand wheel, the only ones I use.
The wheel-head was first used as a heavy kick-plate for a 'kick wheel' made by a friend in Queensland. We altered the design so that the kick-base became the wheel head for quite low hand-wheels which I had sent to South Australia. Since then, over thirty years, it has evolved even further through the creative skill of an engineering friend, Mal Mead to become the only wheel I feel comfortable using.It is an 'intimate' wheel to use and I feel a closer part of the whole process.
Tools of trade - Japanese and Chinese brushes
Having used brushes most of my life I regard them with the same fondness as the hand-wheels I use. On every visit to Japan one place constantly visited was a special shop in Kyoto that sold brushes and paper. Every brush has an expression special to it and one must find out what the brush can do and learn to work with it.
People ask where does inspiration come from. I live in suburban Adelaide and these are 'droppings' from a Lemon-scented gum tree. When the bark is shed each year, around November, smaller branches seem not to shed bark but the bark shrinks as it loses moisture and fungus invades and stains the wood. People often ask whether they were painted by aboriginal people and are surprised when I suggest that this sort of natural happening might be just one of the sources of the Aborigines incredible and often brilliant visual vocabulary. 2013
