!!!!RAKU!!!!


Yesterday, I was able to experience Raku-like firing. It was so so incredible. I really want to note that I didn’t do real Raku. The only people who do Raku are the Raku family from Japan. They invented the technique and have been doing it for CENTURIES!!! Raku-like (or Western Raku) firing is for people outside the family (ex. me + my class) who borrow their techniques to achieve a similar result.  



a cute little bts slideshow:

all the pieces before firing...
all our buckets prepped with newspaper and a fire brick
putting the lid on the kiln 
the pieces right after firing!! red hot
as soon as my piece hit the trashcan it blew up in flames!!!
some of my classmates incredible results :)




I ended up choosing a piece that I didn’t feel 100% about-- one of my failed ergonomical pieces-- and it ended up being one of the best things that I’ve made this summer. I used Rick’s turquoise on my piece and it had a lovely mix of colors that I never could’ve predicted. 
This experience was so special/valuable because I felt that childlike joy and excitement that I felt when I first started pottery and everything was still so new to me. Just really reinvigorated and confirmed my love for ceramics :)



my lovely piece:

the raku made her BEAUTIFUL but she clearly has some problems...






a lovely way to end a summer full of ceramics... pottery archive update otw


07/30/24





previously on the void...