Jared Coles: Partially Sandblasted Stallion Tobacco Pipe

Jared Coles' personal style is heavily influenced by Japanese pipe making, particularly the work of master artisan Hiroyuki Tokutomi. It's only fitting for 2020's American Pipe Making Exposition, which focuses on influences, that Jared would pay homage to a carver that has had a massive impact on his own approach and creative vision. While Coles hasn't personally worked with Tokutomi, Jared has studied under preeminent American artisans such as Jeff Gracik, Adam Davidson, and Todd Johnson, all of whom have worked alongside and learned from Tokutomi at some point. From studying under those three American carvers, Coles has gained crucial knowledge about the craft in regards to discipline, flow, and most importantly, how to have fun with the process.

The wild and free approach often exhibited in Toku's work in readily apparent in this shape Jared calls the "Stallion" and is a fascinating example of how influence can travel around the world. The American carver has imbued the piece with playful asymmetry as the shank is slightly tilted and the undulating rim rises higher along the fore and right side. Not only do the ridgelines along the shank's sides help make the asymmetry noticeable, they have also been used to help inform the placement of the partial sandblast that graces this piece. Those ridgelines initially curve downward to meet the ridgeline that wraps around the base before reemerging to flow up toward the rim. They perfectly frame the sandblasted texture that covers the shank's topside, the bowl's aft, and a majority of the flanks. The sandblast is light in terms of depth but has unveiled a stunning array of wavy grain while the smooth rim is dominated by pinpricks of birdseye. A plethora of flame grain is positioned along the bowl's fore, oriented perfectly so that is sweeps up toward the rim in concert with the bowl's flare.

This Stallion is also rife with organicism and implied movement, thanks largely to the bowl's strong forward cant and the shank's gentle, upward curve. Even the rim plays a part, its back portion sloping downward before culminating in a subtle upward flick and further alluding to active movement in profile. The bowl's flattened heel enables this piece to sit unassisted, making the composition even more versatile and appealing. Plateau lines the outside of the inner rim and is complemented by a kiss of plateau around the mortise, adding a subtle organic quality to the design. Topping things off is the cumberland mouthpiece, its red and black hues pairing well with the stummel's coloration while its offset base complements the whimsical asymmetry at play. It's a beautiful homage to master Tokutomi and demonstrates how knowledge and inspiration can create something unique.