Raku Pottery

Raku is an art form brought to the United States from Japan by the renowned Paul Soldner. It dates to 16th century Japan. Their distinctive crackle effect is achieved by heating the pot to 1,830 degrees and removing it with tongs from the kiln while still hot. It is then placed in a reduction environment. The smoke from the burning of the reductive materials embeds into the pot and cracks. The deprivation of oxygen and quick cool down creates unique effects on every pot. Not for the faint of heart but executing this raw art form is exciting. From all the heat, crackling, cooling, and dust emerges art.

I have worked with horsehair, feathers and am now attempting what is known as Naked Raku. It is a captivating variation using a thick slip to protect the colors on the pot. Stay tuned!