Raku Pottery Raku pottery got its start in 16th century Japan, and is a tradition that has been followed for 15 generations of Japanese potters, providing tea bowls used for formal tea ceremonies. The firing method has changed quite a bit as it transitioned to the West, but the basic characteristics are the same. Firing Raku pottery is different than other techniques because the finish is developed by manipulating the piece while still red-hot. For crackle finishes, the piece is allowed to smolder in a bed of newspaper. Feather images are obtained by laying the feather on the hot pottery, where the image of the feather is burned in. Gold tones are achieved by spraying the piece with ferric chloride. These and other techniques, along with variations in glazes, provide a wide variety of options to the potter, which is why Raku is a favorite among potters wishing to explore a variety of artistic variation. The drawback to Raku pottery is that it is not waterproof or food safe. So it has limited utility in the kitchen. However, Raku pottery techniques produce excellent decorative and artistic pieces, and everyone can usually find something they like. After years of playing in this medium, I have settled into primarily working with burnished pieces finishing them as horsehair or naked raku. |
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