Tsuyoshi Ueno

Tsuyoshi Ueno works almost entirely in Nanban-yaki, an unglazed, wood-fired style that leans on clay and flame rather than applied glaze for its character: pieces spend 7 to 10 days in the kiln, where ash and flame play across the raw clay body to build deep, variegated surfaces in reds, browns, and near-black tones. Alongside his unglazed work, he brings in white slip Kohiki for contrast and a moss-like ash glaze that pools and breaks unevenly across the form, echoing the same fire-driven unpredictability as his Nanban pieces. His forms tend toward a solid, weighty presence, teapots, houhin, katakuchi pitchers, and guinomi with thick, assertive walls and a masculine, grounded quality that favors quiet strength over refinement, a direct expression of Wabi Sabi.