2005.8 - CARVED PUFFER NETSUKE

In the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco, there is a nice collection of netsukes. This puffer fish is based on an ivory one that I always look at when I go to the museum. I didn’t glaze it, but rather covered the dark clay with white slip, and then carved through the slip to reveal the clay below. This piece is one that I think pushes the limit when we discuss the question of, “When is it art inspired by? versus When is it merely copying and not art at all?” Everyone is familiar with the arguments, but I really do want my pieces to exhibit integrity of though