The Storm Cloud Bowl — Shino Wood-Fired Chawan

The Storm Cloud Bowl — White Sky, Black Thunder

This is a cup of weather — of atmosphere, of the moment before something breaks open. Its surface is a landscape of white Shino ground and rolling black iron formations, moving across the exterior like storm clouds photographed from above. No two views of this cup are the same; turn it slowly and the clouds shift, the light changes, the drama deepens.

Glaze & Surface: A dense, creamy white Shino glaze covers the exterior as a base, into which large formations of iron-black and deep umber have pooled, erupted, and spread during the wood firing — cloud-like in mass, meteorological in movement. The iron formations are not uniform: some areas are densely packed and dark, others dissolve into scattered speckles of black against white, like a blizzard caught mid-air. Throughout the surface, fine gas pinholes and textural craters add depth and dimensionality — the glaze is alive beneath the eye. Flashes of warm gold appear where iron and ash met at particular moments in the firing. The rim is encircled by a smooth band of grey-violet and pale blue glaze — quiet and luminous, like moonlight on water — that transitions into the interior: a still, soft blue-grey, smooth and contemplative against the turbulent exterior.

Form & Feel:

• Full, rounded chawan form — widest at the belly, gently narrowing toward the rim
• Slightly irregular silhouette — hand-shaped, with subtle faceting visible at certain angles
• 230g weight — solid and grounding, fills the hands completely
• Thick walls with excellent heat retention
• Small unglazed foot ring — dark stoneware, compact and stable

For the Art of Tea: The wide opening and round belly make this an ideal matcha bowl — generous enough for the whisk, deep enough to hold the warmth. The pale interior allows the green of the matcha to sing against it. It is equally beautiful for gongfu cha, for whisky, or simply as an object to hold on a quiet evening. A cup that rewards returning to.

One of a kind. Wood-fired in a single kiln firing. Never to be repeated.

Care

Suitable for contact with tea. Hand wash gently and avoid abrasive cleaners. Variations and firing marks are part of this one-of-a-kind handmade piece.