Volcanos. Perhaps no other force on Earth yields the combined power of destruction and creation. Land rises from the sea. Mountains form where there were none. They are the source of myth and lore for cultures all around the globe. Quite possibly no more so than the island nation of Japan; a nation built entirely on a chain of volcanos, or "Kazan". The practice of raku is heavily rooted in the Japanese tea ceremony. This series is my homage to both the history of an art form that has given so much to me, and the nation it was born in.
This has been fired using the raku process. The ware is taken up to a temperature around 1800 degrees, where it is then removed from the kiln and placed in a container of combustibles. The red hot vessel ignites the material instantly, where it burns fiercely until suffocated by covering the container. This abrubt stoppage leads to an oxygen starved, 'reduction' atmosphere in the can. This atmosphere is what leads to the color blooms in the glazes, while any unglazed clay carbonizes into rich blacks and greys.
This vessel has a turquoise glaze "inlay" around the opening. In total, this bi-color process requires six different layered glazes and two seperate firings.
This vessel is 8.5"w X 6.5"h
Kazan
Because raku is a low fire process, it is not waterproof. Raku ware should never be used for food or live flowers requiring water. Some people choose to use dried or silk flowers in thier pots, but most simply enjoy them for the fine piece of art that they are!
Clean with a soft dry cloth or duster.