Lost Mountain Clayworks

"Ronin" means "Masterless Samurai". After war, many warriors were unemployed and roaming the countryside looking for work. Some feared, some revered, all respected, all independent.

These singular jars are rugged individuals, related by spirit. As with the large kanji lanterns, the lids reflect samurai and architectural origins.

The bottom two Ronin Jars on this page were fired in Stephen Mickey's "Soulgama" kiln in Brush Prairie, Washington. Most of the color and texture result from the impact of flame and the melted fly ash that flows throughout the kiln during the intense three-day process.