Raku

I absolutely love Raku. Call it faith, call it trust, once you make peace with the fact that there are parts of the Raku process that are totally out of your control, so you let go, once you do sometimes magic happens.

  The second firing, the glaze firing, is where that magic happens.  Each time you take a piece out of the kiln you hold your breath for a moment as you place it, still red hot, into a cold reduction chamber filled with straw, paper or dung where it combusts immediately upon contact causing the heavy metal glazes to flash and change color.

Closing the lid of the reduction chamber starving the piece of oxygen you wait as it cools and nervously wait to see if there are any cracks due to the thermal shock.

Patience during the cooling process is a virtue, pieces crack when cooled too rapidly.  I have learned my lessons all too well.

Glazes “flash” during the second firing causing radically changes in color and intensity. Photos do not do them justice.

Each piece is totally unique and can not be replicated. You never know what you’re going to get, I love that!

Not all Raku pieces are available as some have found loving homes with excellent people but new pieces do come along so if you see one that you like or would like to know what is available,  Drop Me A Note