It is 10 days after the International Potters’ Charity Auction in Sendai today, and I am very pleased to be able to report you that we have received the very first news.
Many many many thanks to all of you who have cotributed your work and some treasures from your private collections. We get no money from our Tohoku potters aid project but I will make sure that most of money from this charity will go directly to individual potters. (I heard that many potters in Tohoku received some amount of money from various organizations, but most of it was only little and disappeared after a couple of drinks.)
I have put emphasis on our requst that all money should go to one or two gifted potters who really in need of help. [G.K.]
The following Japanese message has been sent from Mr. Saito, the organiser of the Tohoku potters event. He thanked for our efforts and kindhearted potters’ donations.
英国から本当に支援作品が届くのだろうか、と最後まで半信半疑でいましたが、開催初日、開始直前5分前、会場には無事に30点のオークション作品が並びほっとしました。ほぼ500人近くの人々が熱心に鑑賞し、手に取って確かめられ、11点の作品に値段がつきました。
現在、もっと多くの集客が見込めそうな市中心部での第２回オークションを開催する予定で、協賛者を募り、具体的な場所の選定をするなど実施計画を立てております。そこでは前回準備出来なかった作家の情報なども付け加えながら、落札者の了解も得て、全作品を再び展示できればと思っております。残りの作品についても落札され、窯の再築がまだ出来てない岩手沿岸の陶芸家に十分な支援金が渡るよう図ってまいりたいと思います。
大切なコレクションも加えて下さった君嶋氏を始め、無償で作品を提供してくださった海外の日本陶芸を愛する陶芸家たちの温かいご支援に心から感謝いたします。 [S.H.]
There was a great interest from the people who saw our work first time, some were sold in the auction and yet some remained unsold but I will have more pots from all over the world and send forward to Sendai. There is another International Potters’ Auction is already planned there very soon. So no donated pots will be waisted. [G.K.]
Ganbare! Kamataki Blog: がんばれ!窯焚きブログ 