Sensai says never buy a tea bowl until you are ready. I've been borrowing one of her Edo-style "rice" bowls until I learned what made a tea bowl good. It's all personal preference really. But there are a few things I was looking for. First, I wanted a bowl with a wide base and high sides. I was looking for one with a nice tea well and a small foot. Also a nice hip and a good proportion. (Even though wabi is beautiful, I wasn't looking for a wabi bowl as my first bowl). So, I bought my first tea bowl today and I was so pleased.
This bowl is an ash glaze. Fired in a wood kiln. The artist, Motoko Hori, added some copper to give the bowl it's distinctive "sea foam" coloring with this fantastic purple look to it underneath. I bought it at a Buddhist bazaar in E. Portland for $30. Considering my teacher told me that most bowls cost $200 to $400 straight from the potter, I felt I was getting something of real quality. Also, I was able to ask the potter her technique and I got something that really resonated with me. It's perfect.
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