Raku Zoo

As you can see by my earlier posts (below, of course), many of the animals we have created are raku-fired, ceramic wall art. Here is some info. on the raku process, along with some pictures showing Jim in action.

RAKU
The ancient art of raku dates back to 16th century Japan. Originally from the Chinese, the character for raku means: "contentment, enjoyment, pleasure, and best in all the world." The first raku pottery pieces were created by an immigrant potter who was chosen by an influential Japanese tea master to produce wares of refined simplicity for the sacred Zen Buddhist tea ceremony.
Raku has been westernized over the years, but it is still, basically, the process of firing clay in an outdoor kiln to a temperature of around 1800 degrees Fahrenheit. The clay piece is then removed from the kiln with tongs and placed into a can of combustible material, such as straw. After the piece flames up, the can is covered tightly with the lid, thus depriving it of oxygen; this is called post-firing reduction. The flames seek oxygen from the clay, so they leave their colors and markings on the piece in random patterns. The colors on the finished piece reflect the interaction between the flames and the precious metals--copper and silver--in the glazes. Each raku piece is therefore unique; it is impossible for any two pieces to be the same. Raku is fragile and should be handled like glass.