shibui

"It must have been 1989, when after years of feeling out of sorts with myself and my true calling that I decided art and craft was pivotal to my well being and prosperity. I enrolled in open clay studio at the Lawrence Art Center, then being run by Tinsley Wert. Tinsley and Perry Hartman in turn introduced me to Bill Bracker, who mentored me, or humored me, as I returned to clay. The first works I produced I brought to Steven Addiss, professor of art history, then, at the University of Kansas; he is the author of the book "The Art of Zen." He described my bowls as very 'shibui' "

"Shibui From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia" :
"Shibui (渋い?) (adjective), or shibumi (渋み?) (noun), is a Japanese word which refers to a particular aesthetic of simple, subtle, and unobtrusive beauty. Like other Japanese aesthetic terms, such as iki and wabi-sabi, shibui can apply to a wide variety of subjects, not just art or fashion. Originating in the Muromachi period (1333-1568) as shibushi, the term originally referred to a sour or astringent taste, such as that of an unripe persimmon. Shibui maintains that literal meaning still, and remains the antonym of amai (甘い?), meaning 'sweet'. However, by the beginnings of the Edo period (1603-1867), the term had gradually begun to be used to refer to a pleasing aesthetic. The people of Edo expressed their tastes in using this term to refer to anything from song to fashion to craftsmanship that was beautiful by being understated, or by being precisely what it was meant to be and not elaborated upon. Essentially, the aesthetic ideal of shibumi seeks out events, performances, people or objects that are beautiful in a direct and simple way, without being flashy."