A Potter’s Journey Through Tea
Martin Miles-Moore began his ceramics career in the 1980s and graduated from UCL in 1989. He is a full-time professional potter who produces functional dining ware for restaurant and home use.
In the last eight years he has been making ceramics for Chado, feeding his fascination with the use of spiritual vessels, which began as an Anglican Choirboy. Martin experienced his first Tea Ceremony as a young martial artist at an International Karate Competition. He became excited by the idea that sometimes a functional cup or bowl can be more than that.
In 2017, Martin approached Urasenke Tea School seeking advice and support in the making of functional teaware, and was put in touch with Sōrin Cavaciuti and Dr Bonnie Kemske, who have been mentoring him in his making of Chadogu (teaware utensils) ever since. In 2019 his solo exhibition ‘Common Case’ at Brantwood was opened by Tomoo Hamada and included some early responses to this mentoring.
Martin describes this unique experience in his own words.
In my youth, as a student of Shotokan Karate I became accustomed to a very disciplined and Zen style of teaching. This style has very clear rules, boundaries and goals within multiple levels of achievement. Progression is dependent not purely on the attainment of new skills, but also on the attainment of new attitudes and understanding. I approach my Chadogu studies with Sensei and Bonnie with a similar mindset, accepting that critique or observations about my work are constructive and designed to provide the support I was asking for, which was to help me make, not just beautiful, but functional items. This open-minded acceptance of development is at the heart of my appreciation and my sense of privilege and honour to be working with such a revered and generous Tea Master. This experience is completely unique and would not be offered in Japan to even the most prestigious potter Japanese, or European.
I began with regular visits to meet Sōrin Sensei and Bonnie in the tearoom at the Kaetsu Centre in Cambridge. On each visit I would present a range of pieces for consideration; initially all these items were bowls. Each time I would be invited to observe and participate in at least one presentation of whichever Tea Ceremony was being taught that week. I was able to experience first-hand the beauty and reverence with which the Chadogo are handled and appreciated.
During their consideration of my work Sōrin Sensei and Bonnie would handle the items as they would in a Tea Ceremony, giving a first response to their feel, then commenting on their appearance and sharing the knowledge about technical details such as the type of clay, the type of firing and glaze techniques. Finally, they would tell me whether the bowls could be used in any of the various forms of Tea Ceremony. Very early on I came to realise the importance of the relationship between the foot, the hip, the rim and the interior of the bowl and how this related to their potential functionality as Teabowls.
Early visits to the Tearoom were constructive, positive, and inspirational but also at times difficult. Being told that a bowl was not fit for use within the context of a Tea Ceremony was at times tough. After all, I had spent many years thinking about, reading and studying Teabowls before I felt brave enough to make them. Over time more and more of my work was deemed to be fully functional. Functionality included appearance, balance, weight, and style as well as an overall sense of how the item would contribute to the mood of the Tearoom. Eventually I was humbled to be able to watch students of Tea using my wares, treating them with reverence, within the spiritual connectedness of a Tea Ceremony. This was an incredibly moving and beautiful experience.
The most important thing that I am learning is that there is can never be a single, precise formula with regard to dimensions for Chadogu. This is because bowls and other ceramic items are used and handled in so many different nuanced ways and changing contexts. I feel very strongly that I want to continue making pieces that have their own beauty in their functionality; simple, subtle and unobtrusively functional Teaware is what I aspire to make. I am beginning to feel that there is no higher aspiration for a potter than making a vessel whose functionality supports and becomes part of greater connection and spiritual growth.
Working in this way has changed my relationship with clay and this more connected and spiritual practice has played a significant part in my calm acceptance of my recent life-threatening, and life-changing health scare. In turn this scare has helped inform and develop my making still further.