Raku Workshops

Raku is an ancient Japanese firing technique. The kiln is opened at the height of the firing. The glowing pots are lifted out and placed into containers filled with leaves or newspaper. Quickly the potter fits an airtight lid onto the barrel and smoke begins to permeate the crackles forming in the glaze, listening for tiny pings like wind chimes as the glazes craze while they cool and harden. 

Raku embraces spontaneity and the unknown, not controlled outcomes. As we are actively collaborating with fire and smoke  we ultimately surrender control of how our pots come out. What happens in the firing process will affect your pots as much as the ideas and expectations you bring to the process. 

After the pots have cooled they are brushed and scrubbed off. Under the soot and grime the spectacular glaze effects emerge:  flashing metallic colors, wildly crazed crackle patterns and smoky blackened areas. As we make clay pots and fire them together we transform theses vessels of raw earth into a new substance - fired clay. It is possible transformation has something to do with leaving room for the unexpected. 

Stay tuned for future Raku workshops. A new section of the website is coming that will announce classes and workshops when we can safely be in a group setting.