Mr. Ito Gafu
Ito Gafu is a promising young artist who learned his trade from respected
Tokoname craftsman Fugetsu. He shows great commitment to the whole
creation process, from sourcing his own clay and refining it, right up to firing.
Tokoname craftsman Fugetsu. He shows great commitment to the whole
creation process, from sourcing his own clay and refining it, right up to firing.
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Mr. Gafu obtains soil from local sources and turns it into clay through a long process known as elutriation. Water is added to the soil and the mixture is stirred so that the grains separate, with the coarser grains sinking to the bottom and the finer particles floating to the top. This process takes at least 7 months. |
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Pots containing different types of clay in various stages outside his workshop.
Gafu stirs the contents every day. Making original clay is a long process of trial and error. Gafu admits that it is not
always easy to handle the clay.
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However, he remains passionate about being
involved every step of the way, discovering new elements and applying them to his
work to create exciting, original pieces imbued with the essence of Tokoname.
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