Searching for Beauty in Imperfection

Hawaii Ceramic Artist Cory Lum Explores the Spirit of the Vessel

“I’m continuously searching for those serendipitous moments when all the elements come together and create magic,” describes Cory Lum, Honolulu ceramic artist, of the internal driving force that fuels his passion for creating ceramic art. His thoughts turn with the pottery wheel as he shares insights gleaned through his craft. Hands effortlessly mold shapeless lumps of clay into voluptuous tea bowls as he speaks. It’s a craft that has set him on a journey, for over 20 years, to capture the free-flowing forms of nature and beauty of the imperfect.

His love for rustic, asymmetrical forms is rooted in the Japanese philosophy of ‘shibui’ and ‘wabisabi.’ That all things are innately imperfect and therein lies their beauty and true essence.’ “It’s difficult to make asymmetrical objects on a wheel,” he says, obviously inspired by the challenge that he makes look so easy as he works. Lum, who also plays saxophone, compares the art of clay to that of making music. Suggesting that one must begin with an uninhibited mind, find a groove, and let themselves go with it, or the work will become too contrived. “You’re not concentrating,” he says, “you’re just moving with the clay, and the clay is moving with you – as free as water can be.” Due to the intimate nature of working with clay and later drinking from the vessels, Lum is very conscious of the energy he brings to the creation process, saying, “To even touch the clay, my mind has to be very free. Otherwise, the stress transfers to the vessel, and that day of throwing won’t be as free-flowing as a day when I’m relaxed.”

Hawaii ceramic artist and photographer Cory Lum at his Studio in Honolulu, HI, 2019. (Honolulu Vibes photo by Ronen Zilberman)

Lum’s intentions as he sits down at the wheel to create go further still, for he pays great attention to how comfortable each tea bowl will feel, as it’s held in the hands. How it will feel as the rim of the bowl touches the lips to drink, and how the liquid will flow across the palate as it’s sipped. Drinking from a tea bowl is extremely sensual as it touches your mouth and lips, an intimacy reserved for our closest loved ones. Lum laughs as he says, “I hate to see this intimacy wasted on plastic!” His bowls are unique pieces that carry the spirit of the maker and the moment. Each one meant to embody the functional nature of ‘Nomi Yasui’ (easy drinking).

Ceramic tea bowl created and photographed by Cory Lum.

Says Lum, “I get inspired when I see people appreciate my bowls and want to use them every day.” For Lum, a successful vessel is one that’s made it through many layers of process and achieved a balance of beauty, soul, and functionality. It’s the daily ‘go-to’ bowl, not the one sitting on the shelf unused. However, the process of getting there is fraught with challenges.

Hawaii ceramic artist and photographer Cory Lum at his Studio in Honolulu, HI, 2019. (Honolulu Vibes photo by Ronen Zilberman)

The ability to let go is a key element in creating ceramics for Lum, for once the wet earth is shaped into the desired form, it’s still only the beginning. Unlike other art forms, the challenge in clay is that it must pass through many processes, each full with opportunities for the vessels to be destroyed. Yet, it’s these challenges that instill a spirit of perseverance and great humility inside of Lum, who loves learning and “getting humbled” by the clay. “You need to be present physically and spiritually. You have to monitor and be ready to change. It teaches you to be in the moment,” he says about the process.

Hawaii ceramic artist and photographer Cory Lum with his wood-fired kiln at his home in Honolulu, HI, 2019. (Honolulu Vibes photo by Ronen Zilberman)

Lum is quick to show gratitude for the many teachers he’s had over the years. From his first class with Sally Murchison, where he learned an appreciation for the sensuous surface lines created by human touch on wet clay, to the inspiration of the Momoyama period in Japan during the 1500s, when the way of matcha green tea was introduced as medicine from China. From the modern free-flowing asymmetrical tea bowls of Kato Takuro of Japan to the public studio of the Ala Wai Parks & Rec Center, where he loves being surrounded by the camaraderie of others sharing, ideas, and techniques. Of course, there are countless others, too many to name, who have mentored and inspired him along the way. Says Lum, “I love being a student and not knowing everything. A lot of mentors, they know the answer, but they let you figure it out. You can ask, but they won’t always give you the answer. You have to allow yourself to be in a constant learning process, because the moment you think, you have it figured out, something happens.”

Hawaii ceramic artist and photographer Cory Lum at his Studio in Honolulu, HI, 2019. (Honolulu Vibes photo by Ronen Zilberman)

Lum perpetuates this style of mentoring when he shares with friends and family, his goal to help them bring their ideas and creativity alive. The options are endless, yet he often sees an internal struggle going on as students find it challenging to come with ideas. He’s patient and allows them to sit quietly until the light bulb comes on, saying, “Sometimes they have to sit there for a while.” He attributes much of this to society’s avid use of technology and feels a growing concern that our children are losing connection to their creative spirit. “It makes them passive, they don’t need to think freely or think creatively anymore,” he says, and adds, “with ceramics you need to get your hands dirty, make it, break it, crack it, sometimes it has to pop and explode. That’s just the nature of ceramic art!”

Hawaii ceramic artist and photographer Cory Lum at his Studio in Honolulu, HI, 2019. (Honolulu Vibes photo by Ronen Zilberman)

Always seeking new knowledge and experience, Lum has currently embarked on his biggest challenge yet, building a wood-fired kiln of his own called a ‘sasukene kiln.’ A single chamber wood-fired kiln modeled after one made by Masakazu Kusababe in Northern Japan. Most ceramics on the island are fired in electric ovens, and this will be the first of its kind on the island, with the exception of another wood-fired kiln currently under construction at the Zen Temple in Kalihi Valley. Lum has never built a kiln before, and the process has been slow and rich with lessons. Yet, he continues forward, with the help of friends such as Jake Bogg, to get the heat up to temperature without blowing up the wares inside. As he thinks about the new opportunities for that elusive, serendipitous magic to occur as fire and ash play across the surface of clay bodies, he becomes more excited and more driven.

Hawaii ceramic artist and photographer Cory Lum with his wood-fired kiln at his home in Honolulu, HI, 2019. (Honolulu Vibes photo by Ronen Zilberman)

As long as there’s a challenge to overcome, Lum will continue in his passion for creating his soulful tea bowls. “That’s what keeps me going – that it’s not easy, it humbles you, you have to keep trying and not give up. I think if I ever create the perfect vessel, it’ll be all over; I can retire.” There’s beauty in how something as simple as a tea bowl can elevate us beyond our mindless consumption. To enjoy the sumptuous pleasure of holding a warm vessel filled with green tea, clasped in your hands and sip from its luscious formed rim, is a gift. A perfectly sacred moment carved out into the imperfection of our daily chaos.

Hawaii ceramic artist and photographer Cory Lum with his wood-fired kiln at his home in Honolulu, HI, 2019. (Honolulu Vibes photo by Ronen Zilberman)

Ceramic tea bowl created and photographed by Cory Lum.

by Erica McMillan