Raku is when pots are taken from the kiln while they are still glowing red hot, they are then placed in a material that would be able to catch fire, such as sawdust or newspaper easily. The reason for this is to starve the pot of oxygen, which gives the glaze a wonderful variety of colours. Pieces with no glaze on them take the oxygen from the clay itself, meaning some areas will have a matte black colouring. Raku differs from normal firing, where the piece is removed from kiln after it’s cooled down slowly. For potters, it’s an incredibly exciting technique, as there’s always the anticipation of how each piece may turn out with so many different effects.
Saturday 5 October from 10am – 2pm and Saturday 26 October from 10am – 12.30pm at Pather Artworks, Wishaw.