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T H E T R A D I T I O N A L D I S P L A Y
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C O N T R A S T I N G
O V A L Traditional Glazed RYAN M. LEUE
POTTERY DOJO California, USA 2025 2.5 x 6 x 5.25 inches Porcelain and Wild Clay Slab Base, Wheel Thrown Walls Reduction, Soda Firing, Cone 10 (2350ºF) "This pot was part of a 12-hour soda firing, with the careful addition of just the right amount of soda ash at just the right moment. This soda ash is vaporized and circulated upon the currents within the kiln, and these currents mark the pots as they pass, fluxing glazes and flashing with a characteristic roasted orange.
This is a pot built around contrast: A smooth rim vs. the wildly undulating texture. Sharp straight lines vs. the soft roundness of the form. Warm roasted oranges from the soda flashing vs. the cool, delicate blues and greens. Squat, wide-footed stability vs. the dynamic sweeping texture and the directionality of the atmospheric effects. The balance and tension in this shohin pot lend it visual weight and a quiet strength—one that supports and elevates the tree’s character while providing a stable foundation, enhancing its presence without distracting from it." - Ryan M. Leue |
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A B O U T R Y A N M . L E U E
"My Japanese family name is Udo, represented by kanji that roughly means having work ethic. I work with this name in my heart, and I mark my pots with these characters beside my signature. I am patient and steadfast in my journey toward excellence.
Much of the true work is in finding balance. This balance goes beyond the appearance of a pot, or the feel of it, though that is a part of it. I seek to balance persistent, disciplined practice with an openness to intuition and inspiration. I seek to balance the uniqueness of my work as an individual with the sprawling generational wisdom within established tradition. I strive to find joy in my work even as I embrace the bitter struggle of continual improvement. I am proud to present my recent work, but I am more excited to see what I will show next year." - Ryan Ryan is a ceramic artist based in California whose practice is rooted in discipline, intentionality, and quiet intensity. He began ceramics in 2018 under master potter, Doug Browe, and has since dedicated years of focused practice, seeking continual improvement and technical excellence. Since 2023, his work has centered on bonsai pots, developed in close collaboration with bonsai master, Scott Chadd. A fourth-generation Japanese American (Yonsei), Ryan stands at a remove from the cultural origins of bonsai ceramics. This distance—often intensely isolating—also creates space for discovery. The values passed down—discipline, humility, and respect—inform his practice, while his aesthetic understanding is self-taught, shaped through repetition and reflection. His work seeks not to replicate tradition, but to engage with it. Follow Ryan M. Leue on these platforms: Instagram: www.instagram.com/potterydojo/ Website: potterydojo.com/ Discord: discord.com/invite/CDUQV6k |
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T H A N K Y O U T O O U R S P O N S O R S
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D I S C O V E R P O T T E R S I S P R O U D T O S P O N S O R T H E 2 0 2 5 N O R T H A M E R I C A N B O N S A I P O T T E R Y C O M P E T I T I O N
