[Iroe (polychrome pottery)]
A technique of decorating ceramics.
Iroe refers to painting motifs or patterns using lead-based red, yellow and green color glazes on the surface of glazed and fired earthenwares, porcelains, and firing them again at a lower temperature (around 800 degrees C) so the colored glaze melts onto the underglaze.
Arita ware is one of the representative iroe ceramics in Japan.

[Shohei SUGITA]
A Japanese potter in Kyoto City. The 4th generation (the present generation) head of the Seikanji-gama kiln established in the early Meiji period (1868-1912). A regular member of the Association of Kyoto Traditional Ceramic Artists.
Shohei was born in 1942, in Kyoto and refined his pottery skills under Shohei Sugita, the third generation head of Seikanji-gama kiln, and Kichizaemon Raku the 14th (Kakunyu). In addition, he studied tea ceremony under Soya Kanazawa of Urasenke, then received the seal of Seikanji-gama kiln from Hounsai (the 15th generation master of Omotesenke) and Kichizaemon the 14th.
Succeeding the tradition of graceful Kyo ware, Shohei produces elegant and gorgeous tea utensils decollated with various motifs of seasonal flowers, plants and animals.