What is Raku?
Raku is a particular type of pottery developed by the early Japanese potters. Pottery was glazed and fired at Tea Ceremonies and the bowls were used by the participants.
Pots are first bisc fired, (leaving them sufficiently porous, to withstand thermal shock). Work is glazed, then placed in the kiln and extracted as soon as the glaze has melted and matured (between 750-1000°c). Pots are heated to this temperature in about 40 minutes.
Pots are removed from the kiln at this stage, using protective gloves and tongs. Pottery can either be placed immediately into sawdust (which will ignite), or sometimes pots are left outside for a few seconds to help encourage the glaze to crack, if desired. Pots are then buried in sawdust, allowing carbon to penetrate the cracks. When pots have cooled sufficiently, they are removed from the sawdust and cooled down, then submerged completely in water. Pots are then cleaned with wire wool and finally, hopefully admired.
Raku Tea Bowl, British Museum
1 DAY RAKU WORKSHOP
We will be running private one-day Raku Pottery workshops in London, on the following dates:
DATES Saturday 5th June 2010
Saturday 10th July 2010
TIME 10 am (prompt) to 5pm. This may run over!
COST £45.00
CATERING A delicious vegetarian 2 course lunch is provided.
VENUE 3 Albert Road, South Woodford London E18 1LE, 3 mins walk from
South Woodford Central Line Station.
You will need to have a small selection of bisc fired pots to fire on the day, alternatively, we can supply pots at a small cost. Items should not be too heavy or wobbly, as removing them from the kiln is hazardous. Crank clay, White St Thomas, Earthstone and Porcelain are all suitable for Raku, but you may suffer breakages in any case. Some forms are less suitable for Raku than others. Items that are unsuitable will NOT be fired. If in doubt please contact either Sarah on 0208 989 3782 or Trudy on 0208 599 6218. Suitable clothing should be worn, i.e. old clothes, not loose or flowing.
Places are limited, so please book early to avoid disappointment.
Group bookings available, please phone for details.
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1 DAY RAKU WORKSHOP BOOKING FORM
Please complete this slip and post to: Sarah Partridge, 3 Albert Road, London E18 1LE
Name ................................................................................................
Telephone ...........................................................................................
Email .................................................................................................
Course date .........................................................................................
Please enclose your payment of £45.00 with this booking form.
(Your place on the course will be confirmed by email or telehone when funds have cleared)
........................................................................................................................................................................................................
Our one day Raku courses are very popular, with most people returning again and again. It's an exciting day, where Potters experience the whole firing process. Below is a small selection of our guests work.
Raku animals.
| Raku form with localised reduction.
Raku glazed Pig Sculpture. |
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5 DAY RAKU WORKSHOP
Not for the faint hearted, this five day Pottery Course will explore Raku, smoke firing, naked Raku (burnished vessels) and porcelain paper clay sculpture. Earthstone clay, and Porcelain paper clay will be provided. Our course is designed to give experienced and novice students opportunities to explore a range of different techniques and materials, not usually accessible on standard college courses. Working outdoors in a shady garden, (wet weather catered for), this course is limited to 8 students, aided by two pottery tutors. The course will be in two parts, 3 days of making, followed by an eight day break for work to dry and bisc fire, and finally 2 days of glazing and Raku and smoke firing. All equipment and materials are provided.
We will be running a 5 day Raku Workshop in London, on the following dates;
DATES Monday 16th, Tuesday 17th, and Wednesday 18th August 2010
(An eight day break, allowing work to dry and be bisc fired.)
Thursday 27th and Friday 28th August 2010.
TIME 10 am (prompt) to 5pm, daily. This may run over!
COST £240
CATERING You will need to bring your own lunch.
VENUE 3 Albert Road, South Woodford London E18 1LE, 3 mins walk from
South Woodford Central Line Station.
.............................................................................................................................................................
5 DAY RAKU WORKSHOP BOOKING FORM
Please complete this slip and post to: Sarah Partridge, 3 Albert Road, London E18 1LE
Name ................................................................................................
Telephone ...........................................................................................
Email .................................................................................................
Course date .........................................................................................
Please enclose your payment of £240.00 with this booking form.
(Your place on the course will be confirmed by email or telehone when funds have cleared)
..................................................................................................
Paper Clay Sculpture, in progress. | Left Post Raku smoke fired Pot (otherwise known as naked Raku). Still hot from the kiln, fragments of slip resist and glaze peel away like an eggshell from the surface of the burnished pot, leaving carbon crazed pattern on the surface.
Above Cleaned and Waxed Pot. Paper and slip resist smoke fired sculpture. |
Burnished coloured eggs, ready for sawdust firing. |
Shady working area in the garden. |
