Teruo Hara Ceramics
Teruo Hara was born 1928, in Chiba, Japan. He attended Tokyo Kyoiku University, 1946-1952. In 1952 Teruo Hara set up studio in Kyoto, the ceramic art center of Japan. After the war became involved with an avant-garde movement. The Sodeisha Group, characterized by more free form in their ceramics and believers in “individual expression” as opposed to the potters of the minigei or folk crafts who believed pottery should be anonymous and follow the forms of the past.
From 1953 through 1958 Mr. Hara exhibited internationally in Sao Paulo, Tokyo and Kyoto, Rome, Dusseldorf and Brussels, also winning the grand ceramic prize at the world’s fair in Brussels. In 1958 Teruo Hara came to the United States under the auspices of the Fine Arts Committee and the American craftsman Council. Lectured and traveled over most of the United States and introduced Sodeisha shows while traveling.
In 1959 Mr. Hara exhibited in New York. In 1960 Teruo Hara worked with Design Technics as designer and engineer, researched kiln construction and ceramic materials. Set up studio at Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania. From 1959 through 1963 Mr. Hara exhibited ceramics in Houston, Miami, New York, California, Iowa, Maryland and Virginia.
In 1963 Teruo Hara came to the Corcoran School of Arts as a ceramic instructor, and taught there for five years. In 1965 he designed and began construction of a new studio in Warrenton VA. During this same period 1964 through 1967 Teruo Hara continued to exhibit his ceramics in Philadelphia, Virginia, Maryland and Washington, DC.
In 1968 The Corcoran Gallery of Arts presented a one man exhibition of the fine ceramics of Teruo Hara. The occasion marked twenty years of his work as a potter, his 40th birthday and the completion of five years as a faculty member at the Corcoran School of Arts.
Mr. Hara worked in the ancient glazes of copper red, celadon, tenmoku and ash. His later works are wheel thrown, simple and quiet in form. A plate is never perfectly round for it must have its own individual life- bottles are never symmetrical but contain subtle movement.
Teruo Hara’s list of accomplishments obtained through his multi-talents as architect, designer, potter, sculptor and teacher are many. Most are not listed here. Sadly Mr. Hara died in 1986.
Footnote: I have been an admirer and a collector of Teruo Hara’s Pottery for years, and believes his pottery is outstanding. It is my pleasure to share just a few photos of the different forms, and glazes created by Teruo Hara.
If you are intersted in purchasing or require additional information, please contact Ira's Vintage Gallery (301) 758-0239.
Large Ash Glaze Bowl with a defined one inch rim. Mustard to green coloring with green decorations on the inside. Signed.
Tenmoku glaze pouring bowl..The inside is finished with a hand carved unglazed decoration on the interior. Signed
Large planter with an ash glaze ochre and four bold strap handles. Embossed with symbols. Signed
Footed bowl with a tenmoku under glaze and white over glaze that gives the bowl a grey color. Signed
Beautiful six sided vase with well-defined rim and shoulder; tenmoku glaze with copper red reduction drip. Signed.
Yunomi cup features a red reduction glaze and grey to blue over glaze. Signed.
Footed celadon light green to blue glaze over copper red glaze bowl. Signed.
Copper red small bowl with a speckle of grey underneath the glaze. Signed.
Wheel turned footed bowl. Heavy white glaze over copper red. Signed.
Small footed dish, with a heavy red copper glaze covered in a white glaze. Signed.
A stunning wheel turned vase with light to heavy dark green crackle glaze. Signed.
Yunomi tea cup and footed dish. Speckled cream color and dark green painted decorations. High gloss glazes. Signed.
A light grey yunomi tea bowl with tenmoku glaze painted birds around the bowl. Signed.
A footed ash glaze dish with a one half inch turned rim. It features a combination of colors, white, cream to green. Signed.
A light grey yunomi tea bowl. Decorated inside and outside with black dots and lines in tenmoku glaze. Signed.
A light grey sake bottle with painted decorations in tenmoku glaze. Signed.
This bowl has its original for sale label dated 1960. Black glazed footed bowl with highlights of tenmoku glaze. Signed.
Small footed bowl with a nice tenmoko glaze. Signed.
A grey green speckled glazed footed bowl. Signed.
A creamy white glazed cup with handle. Signed.
A wheel turned footed bowl with an unusual shape and features a combination of white to yellow coloring. Signed.
A nice bowl featuring tenmoku and black glaze. Signed.
Copper red glaze bowl, with a light grey under glaze that tones down the copper red glaze. Signed.
A footed bowl with an overall light grey glaze. Signed.
A footed wheel turned bowl, tenmoku and speckled grey. Signed.
Footed bowl, with tenmoku glaze and a white over glaze. Signed.
Unglazed hanging planter in bisque white. Signed.
A plum and grey footed bowl. Nice colors. Signed.