Over the years as we made bowls, plates, cups, and vases for Omen I am surprised by how different they look in the bright light of our home or studio versus the dark brick and wood illuminated by the soft light of the restaurant’s paper lanterns. In these short December days I am always racing to catch the light of the day for my pots. The deep shadows remind me of the warm appreciation I always feel at Omen.
“One of the characteristics of Japanese food culture is to first see and enjoy the food before it is eaten. To appreciate the meal with all our senses is a fundamental root within Japanese culture. For both Catherine’s and Warren’s work, not only is there a beauty in their ceramics that we see, but we can also sense an essence that we cannot see with our eyes. It is the beauty of the artist’s heart informed by the soul and spirit of the imagination. Reminiscent of stars in the dark sky that twinkle and shine, we feel and capture the presence of Nature and Love.”
–Mikio Shinagawa, essay in Omen Azen 2013, catalog and calendar, Sketchbook Press.