Nezumishino Guinomi

This is a freshly kiln-fired new Nezumi-Shino sake cup (guinomi) by Tomio Ochi, an artist who works diligently at the kiln under the tutelage of Yasuhito Abe, pouring his ever-unsated passion into his ceramics. It is a Nezumi-Shino piece that reflects Ochi's characteristic, uncompromising dedication; while one might typically imagine a bluish-gray color for Nezumi-Shino, this work features a very deep, dark brownish-red iron slip, resulting in a powerful, uncompromising finish. Reminiscent less of a cute mouse and more of the hide of a beast that dwells in the darkness of night, the hard-fired surface, which seems to resist even the alterations brought by sake, establishes this cup as a solitary, elevated existence. This piece has a "yuzu-hada" (citron skin) texture, where the finishing feldspar glaze has bubbled up. With a deep interior much like a Seto-guro tea bowl, it is a very large and imposing sake cup. Signed box to be provided at a later date
Diameter 7.3cm x 7.1cm x Height 6.7cm Tomio Ochi was born in Ehime Prefecture in 1949 and graduated from Ehime Prefectural Niihama Technical High School.

Starting in 1969, while working for a company, he studied painting and sculpture at Taka Bijutsu.

In 1976, he received instruction while serving as a kiln assistant to Yasuhito Abe in Ehime Prefecture.

In 1998, he built his own kiln on the premises of Yasuhito Abe's studio in Ushimado, Setouchi City, Okayama Prefecture.

He applies the experience he gained studying sculpture and painting to his Bizen ware pottery.