thebuddhabuilder's Profile

Bio

Greetings! Welcome to my collection of raku Buddhas. My name is Anita Feng, and I work out of my studio in Issaquah, Washington, just east of Seattle, half way up a smallish mountain by the name of Squak Mountain.

My raku Buddhas offer a synthesis of east and west -- the ancient inheritance of Zen meets modern American creativity. They also represent an exploration of the question, what does Buddha look like? After all, the word "buddha" means "to wake up" or "the awakened one". So what does openness of mind look like? Clay is a perfect medium to explore that question, as it is so open a material to work with. It can be pulled, thrown, molded, rolled--anything! And it is composed of all the elements of life -- earth, air, fire, water, metal.

Incorporating thirty years of Zen training, plus over thirty years work as a professional potter, along with my life-time involvement in poetry and music, I work the clay into a joyful, sincere and dance-like marriage between east and west.

And...if you'd like to see my ocarinas, go to http://anitasocarinas.etsy.com

More about me and Zen
http://www.tigermtnzen.com/

The blog: http://rakubuddha.blogspot.com/

More about me and poetry
http://www.anitafeng.com

Photos of my raku firing process on flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/anita52/sets/72157606262951716/



A little background information on the raku firing process. Raku can be traced to 16th century Japan, Zen Buddhism and the tea ceremony. The name rakuyaki or raku denotes a type of Japanese pottery which involves low firing temperatures and the removal of pieces from the kiln while still glowing hot. The name raku is derived from the kanji character which means ‘enjoyment’ or ‘ease’. As such, raku ware reflects, quite literally, the spontaneous, moment-to-moment flux of earth, air, fire, metal and water.

Please note that a protective sealant has been added to the finished pieces to prevent the spectacular raku glazes from getting dull over time.

10% of all sales go to support the Zen training efforts at the Blue Heron Zen Community, under the direction of Zen Master Ji Bong.

Female, Born on September 14

Favorite Materials

clay, raku, fire