Raku
WHAT IS RAKU?
RAKU DATES BACK TO THE 16TH CENTURY, THE ROOTS OF IT LAY
IN THE JAPANESE TEA CEREMONY WITH WARE MADE BY THE
RAKU FAMILY, INFLUENCED BY SHOGUN SOCIETY AND THE WABI
AESTHETICS OF RUSTICITY AND SIMPLICITY.
The raku workshops are held at Trafalgar Cottage Studio. Split into 2 sessions:
Session 1: Optional 2 hour hand building workshop where you will be taught some basic handbuilding techniques to make a small pot from special raku clay.
Session 2: Glazing & Firing. A 3 hour workshop during which you will glaze your session 1 piece (or a premade bisque vessel made by myself if you did not attend session 1). I will teach you basic glaze application using special low fire raku glazes. You then get to watch them being fired in an outdoor gas fired kiln before being removed glowing red hot and transferred to the reduction bin filled with combustible materials which burst into flames. After a short time they are removed and scrubbed clean to reveal the magical results which can include metallic lustres, crackled glazes and black carbon infused clay. Each piece is always unique and the results can be surprising!
Raku Taster Workshops Session 1: Making
A 2 hour workshop where I will show you some basic hand building techniques such as pinching and coiling to create a small piece for glazing and firing during session 2 of the Raku workshop.
Raku Taster Workshops Session 2: Glazing & Firing
A 3 hour workshop during which you will glaze, then watch the firing of your pots in a raku gas kiln before they are transferred to a reduction bin filled with combustible materials which burst into flames!