Çini are traditional, handmade glazed tiles and ceramics made in Turkey with colourful motifs found on building facades and in homes. The designs, representing local customs and beliefs, are drilled on paper, transferred to the surface with contours hand drawn, then the work dyed, glazed and fired. Practised formally and informally in traditional workshops, public education centres, universities and in the home, çini making is considered an outlet for self-expression, development, healing and a symbolic aspect of Turkey’s cultural identity.

Our documentary tells the story of one of America's most respected studio potters, Randy Johnston. Set against the backdrop of his picturesque Wisconsin studio, it gives a revealing and moving insight into his artistic journey. Kicking against his family's desire for him to become a doctor, Johnston tells of his early travels to Japan, meeting the great Shoji Hamada and apprenticing to National Living Treasure, Tatsuzo Shimaoka. We are also taken on a visit to the Minnesotan studio of his lifelong mentor and friend, 94 year old American legend, Warren MacKenzie. A deep thinker, Johnston talks about his approach to his working practice and his philosophy on art and teaching. Having studied with Warren MacKenzie and Hamada's favourite apprentice, Tatsuzo Shimaoka, Johnston is one of the most exciting and innovative potters working in America today. He is recognized internationally as an artist who has pursued functional expression and brought a fresh aesthetic vision to contemporary form, and for his many contributions to the development of wood kiln technology in the United States.

This is a video clip which introduces Duseokjang, the master who makes hinges to be used for wooden furniture or buildings with metal including yellow brass or cupronickel, or the metal ornaments for protecting such hinges. The metal craft-making Duseokjang is designated as Korea’s Important Intangible Heritage.

Finished Wedgwood crockery goes through a final check after the creative process. Rejects are marked with a cross and smashed into containers by a man. The perfect pottery is wrapped in lots of straw or wood-wool and packed into huge wooden casks. Lettering on the casks show they are being sent to San Francisco, Sydney, Toronto and New York. In a showroom, Sir John Wedgwood shows a young woman the translucency of fine bone china, holding a plate up to the light so we can see his hand behind it. Display of Queen's Ware dinner service and tea set. Display of the famous Blue Jasper pottery. A woman turns a Portland Vase round on a turntable and lifts it up so we see the design continues on the base. Shot of more Wedgwood crockery set out on tables as if for a dinner party. Commentator talks of the ideals of the company, ""the pride of craftsmanship, and the happiness and enthusiasm of 2,000 people, born of long comradeship." M/Ss of a lorry stacked with Wedgwood casks driving away from the factory and along a country road. End credits. Director of Photography - Stan Goozee; Film Editor - Oliver Cheatle; Sound - George Newberry, Nolan Roberts; Production Manager - Terry Hunter; Associate Producer - Lionel Hoare; Directed by Terry Ashwood. The End. Note: commentary by Edward Ward. Some of the footage from Reel 1 of this documentary is also found in CP 319 - Crockery Design.

Pottery has been an integral part of Japanese life since time immemorial. Its organic texture, the warmth of the artisan's touch, its delicate beauty, and its practicality have captured the Japanese heart. Developed alongside tea ceremonies, pottery has shaped the very essence of Japanese aesthetics. In this video, we present a revolutionary approach to the traditional Japanese hand-building technique. Witness the birth of a masterpiece as nature's forces, the heat of the kiln, and the skill of the potter intertwine to create a mesmerizing landscape of cracks and glazes. Whether you're a pottery enthusiast or simply appreciate beauty, this video will move you. Gaku Nakane / Ceramic Artist Gaku Nakane embodies excellence and artistry in contemporary craftsmanship, garnering international attention as a finalist in the 2024 Loewe Foundation Craft Prize. Based in Higashiomi, Shiga Prefecture, Nakane draws inspiration from the rich natural environment of his childhood, reflecting the beauty found in natural landscapes and well-worn antique tools in his work. His ""Hibikesho"" vessels and objects, created using a unique technique, are particularly noteworthy. The crack patterns that emerge on their surfaces exude a powerful yet beautiful presence, reminiscent of naturally formed landscapes. This technique embodies a deep respect for the passage of time and the random forms of nature, bringing warmth and tranquility to the viewer. “Hibikesho” is a unique ceramic technique that creates intricate crack patterns on the surface of pottery, resembling natural landscapes. 00:00 Introduction 00:50 Kneading the clay 01:18 Creating the bottom 01:42 Coiling the clay 02:27 Rough shaping 02:42 Continuing to coil and shape 04:46 Forming the mouth 06:24 Shaping the body 06:57 Finishing the form 09:44 Applying glaze 11:00 Wiping excess glaze 13:01 Putting the piece in the klin 14:12 A finished piece Music コトナガ / Audiostock naopapa / Audiostock Produced by Miraiisan : A Project to Safeguard Japanese Traditional Crafts