I am struck when I look at pots in the bright light of our home or studio how different they appear than when they are in use at Omen Azen in New York City. The dark wood tables, the deep patina of the exposed brick and the soft light from the hanging paper lanterns emphasizes deep hues and alternative contrasts. During the short days of December I often find myself racing to photograph these images in the long shadows of shortened days.
“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 of 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: Whiteness to Nothingness, catalog and calendar, Sketchbook Press, 2013.