Join Mike for a one day workshop celebrating the art of Raku Firing. Derived from a traditional Japanese firing process, this American adaptation creates wild and beautiful surfaces within the matter of hours. Participants will bring their own bisque-ware and spend the day glazing, firing, and learning about the history and process. During the workshop, we will fire the clayworks up to 1800 degrees and quickly remove them from the kiln. They will then be placed in a post-reduction chamber where we will surround them with organic combustables that will burn and leave their distinct mark on the clay and glaze. Every piece yields unpredictable and unique results only to be obtained through this particular firing process. Be ready to experiment and push your boundaries on what you thought was possible in clay.

Details:

Each participant is allowed up to 7 pieces of bisque ware measuring up to 6” wide and 10” tall. The studio will provide a limited amount of Raku glazes however you are welcome to use any commercial glaze that matures at cone 06. Most stoneware will work fine for Raku firings however Mike recommends Soldate 60 from Laguna or S-14 from Sheffield Pottery for the best results. 

During the firing you will be exposed to smoke and have the option ( only if you would like) to pull the wares out of the kiln and be exposed to intense heat. I recommend that all participants wear clothing with natural fibers and proper footwear. Raku has some dangerous aspects and needs to be taken seriously throughout the entire process. That being said we have never had an incident and work hard to ensure every participant can be involved in the safest way possible. Please email with any questions if you have concerns, questions or reservations. 

By enrolling in this workshop you acknowledge the risk involved with this firing process and agree to not hold the Studio or Artist responsible for any injuries that could occur during a workshop.