Don't miss our celebratory tea ceremony honoring long-time patron, George Cummings.

Portland Japanese Garden will host a tea ceremony presented by Jan Waldmann using period pieces from the collector’s personal collection of tea wares.

Ceremony Date:  September 15, 2019
Time: 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Location: Cultural Corner
Price: Free with Garden Admission

Click here for more information

The ceramics collection of Portland artist George Cummings (b. 1936) encompasses both Japanese pieces and his own hand-crafted works. A Potter’s Eye, guest-curated by Lynn Katsumoto, showcases this collection by exploring the confluence of tradition and creativity to present a first-hand look at the global transmission of aesthetics. While working as a potter and teacher, Cummings began amassing an extensive array of Japanese wares that came to influence his own production.

Objects on display come from regions including Japan’s famed Six Ancient Kilns (Rokkoyō 六古窯), the continuously operating pottery centers of Tamba, Tokoname, Shigaraki, Seto, Bizen and Echizen. Historically, wares from these kilns were made for daily use, never signed nor intended as works of art. The beauty of these irregular, rough, and unassuming objects developed through the environment of the kiln, the texture of locally sourced clay, and the masterful hand that formed them. Their tactile but quiet beauty complements the frothy green matcha tea at the heart of the tea ceremony.