Mashiko Potters Recovery Exhibition

Euan has a group exhibition at Tokyo American Club Frederick Harris Gallery

from 27th February.

This Exhibition is the first step for re-starting for Euan from here, Minakami.

It is still a struggle for him as a potter who does not have his own kiln yet......

Once he build his kiln, everything will start to move forward, he is making plans for the first kiln exhibition.

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Mashiko Potters Recovery Exhibition

 02/27/2012(mon) -- 03/25/2012(sun)

Open daily 11:00am - 9:00pm

Open till 5:30pm on 03/25

Tokyo American Club

Frederick Harris Gallery (B1F)

2-1-2 Azabudai, Minato-ku, Tokyo 106-8649

Tel: 03-4588-0381

E-mail: tac@tac-club.org

http://www.tokyoamericanclub.org/

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The Kiln foundation is started !!

I wanted to write about fixing our house with friends,
but I have news to tell you first.....

The foundation work for the kiln, which was scheduled to start at the end of last year but was delayed by snow, started on January 11th!

We seemed to have waited for a long time.

A very long time....

Learning the lessons of the earthquake,
the foundations this time are designed to support the seven tonne weight of the kiln,

and brace the kiln with an iron frame as before.

Euan has changed the kiln design to be more earthquake resistant.
(I'll tell you more about that when he starts construction!)

There was much lost in the earthquake, but we also learned a great deal and had the heart warming support of many people.

The courage to move forward, the strength to continue.

To all of you, our heartfelt thanks.

Putting the family's safety and welfare first, Euan can now finally start to concentrate on his real job, being a potter.

You can see Euan overflowing with joy♪

Congratulations, Euan.
And always, thank you.

He has a group exhibition scheduled for late February, and must make new work before then, fitting the kiln building in the schedule as well.

I am worried about when he can build the kiln, but if necessary he can pobably borrow the "Euan" kiln at the Mashiko Tougei Club.

Whatever happens, we will move forward, one step at a time.

 

Happy New Year

Happy New Year!

I wish you much happiness  in this coming year.

There were so many things that happened to many people last year. Enough to change your life values....

There were times when it was very hard and uncertain, even for us, whether we would be able to overcome these things and to move forwards.


But at the same time, we received much encouragement, support, and help and many warm thoughts for us.
Thank you very much.

We walk forwards one step at a time.

My elder sister, Emiko, sent us a New Year card, with these word,
" Let's have a good year.
We can create our own future."
Thank you.



Let's have a good year!

Mashiko Pottery Festival ♪

Mashiko Pottery Festival will start
from 3rd to 7th of November.


Euan will have a tent at Tohboh Mashiyama as always.
If you have a chance please drop in to his tent.
He is looking forward to seeing you.

I am planning to go to Mashiko from 5th to 6th with my children, they have to go to school on Friday and I will make my daughter take a day off from basketball club so we can go to Mashiko all weekend.

We are really looking forward to going to Mashiko ♪












(At Spring Mashiko Pottery Festival....)

We had a Sports day every weekend last month

 I haven't written a post for a long time.

We had so many things happening here in Minakami, where it's getting cooler morning and evening.

Firstly, the family.........

 We had a School Sports Day every weekend during September.

The first weekend was at the primary school,

then next weekend was at the junior high school,

the third weekend was at the preschool.

 

The children had moved to the new school since this spring, they've made new friends, they seem to be getting used to the new school life. 

We, as parents, were moved in many ways when we saw the children were doing their best with new friends, happily and resiliently.

Of course, we are doing our best too.

Euan is trying to join in the school events here as well.
The next day however, he ached from head to foot.

Unfortunately it rained during the junior high school sports day, but the children still did their best. 

Sora is also doing her best and having fun with her classmates. Because of her back injury she needs to wear a back brace and pace herself, but that's a long story.

We can't forget about the cheer squad.
What? You were too busy playing to watch?!

We had the best smile under the blue sky the next weekend

All the children really did their best, and we can see they are growing both physically and emotionaly.

I think we all are definitely moving forewards little by little.

And I'm  truly proud of my children from the bottom of my heart.

You kids are awesome!!

The exhibition finished.

Euan had finished his exhibition at Gallery Ciel in Utsunomiya, Tochigi.

Many people visited the exhibition.

Thank you very much.

Euan was very happy to see you and to talk to you there.

Your words warmed our hearts.

Euan had lived about half of his life in Tochigi,

it is like a second home town for him now.

It is precious to us to have the opportunity to see you all.

He has left and moved from there,

but Tochigi remains in his heart.

And our children's hearts,

and mine also.

However, the opportunity to see you gives us confidence.

We will try hard to put down new roots here.

Thank you for your continuing support.

Exhibition at Gallery Ciel

Euan will have a solo exhibition at Gallery Ciel in Utsunomiya, Tochigi.

He is at the gallery everyday except on Aug. 28th.

He is looking forward to shearing his new works with you 

and seeing you there.

Euan Craig Ceramics

Aug. 25th Thr. - 31st Wed.

11:00am ~ 6:00pm (Open everyday)

Gallery Ciel

4065 Nakaokamoto, Utsunomiya-shi, Tochigi-ken

TEL：　028-671-8210

By car: Straight toward Shirasawa about 1km from Route 4,
            at the right hand side on the hill after pass a convenience store, Seven- Eleven.
            Car park at the apartment, Sun Heights Okamoto. (8 cars)

By Train: On foot 8 minutes, 700m from Okamoto Station, by one stop
               from Utsunomiya Station.



Birthday ♪

It was Canaan's Birthday on July 16th. He became 12 years old.

The school will finish the first term, start the summer holiday soon.

He is getting use to the new school, made some friends.

But it takes a time to make good friends like he made in the other school.
You don't have to rush it, you can make a good friend.


after the earthquake and nuclear power plant's accident, his life changed very much, also his school and his friends,  he has to live apart from Dad who is making pots in Nagano on weekdays, we can't build the studio yet, he has to squeeze in and share space in his uncle's house, it is not easy...... 
But don't give up and do our best together, it is a turning point, we can make a good life and future from here.  We can do it together.  And you can.


Happy birthday Canaan.

Surprise!

It was my birthday on June 29th.

Euan gave me a phone call from Nagano on the 28th, and while we were talking,

he suddenly said,"I've just done teleportation."
Ha?? What did he mean??, I thought....
Then Euan's face appeared from the window!

The kids and I all screamed (with joy, of course).

He came home for my birthday from Nagano.
Thank you, Euan. I was very glad and surprised.

It  reminded me of the day I saw a stranger's shadow.

At that time I couldn't say a word.

Everyone celebrated for my birthday on 29th.

I was very happy.

When I looked at the east sky, it was a beautiful clouds in the sunset. It might be a present from God....

Before dinner, we started to talk about the day on March 11th from the conversation about Sora's speech she just wrote the other day.

Euan and I cared about our children's feelings after the earthquake, we tried to help them to speak, listen, write and draw. But I find out they still kept many things in their minds.

They must have pushed their feelings into their heart to survive and protect themselves from the big change.

I think that they are used to living this life in Minakami now, so they might be able to start sharing their thoughts at last. 

We can share laughing, crying and talking in this family.

I think I am very happy. 

This is the family I always wanted.

It is the best birthday present.

Thank you all.

Carrying bricks

On 20th and 21st June, Friends helped to carry the bricks of Euan's kiln from Ichikai, Tochigi to Minakami.
They are teachers at an American school in Japan, they borrowed trucks and
came to help us.  It is about 7 tons for just the kiln itself. They
and Euan drove three times between Ichikai and Minakami in two days.

Sean also helped us, even though he had bronchitis....
When they arrived with the last load of bricks at evening, the other
kids, Sora, Canaan and Rohan, helped carry the bricks, too.
Thank you.

Euan is making pots at a friends studio in Nagano recently, so we could not move pottery things from the studio in Ichikai. We still have to bring many things from there, but it is a big step forward.

Is that a soot monster ?!

Thank you very much, Debi and Julie!