Yesterday’s predawn darkness found Cynthia and me loading the car and heading for Nixa, Missouri for their Annual Raku Day. Seven creations from Raku clay were safely nestled in the trunk along with food that we would add to the other participant’s collection once we got there. After arriving we signed in, made our way to the glaze center, and begin our glazing process. We experimented with the various colors and even used some slip and chip (which we decided we didn’t particularly like) and had our pieces ready for the kilns.
The event was well attended so we took our place in line helping out with the process for others. After our pieces had fired long enough to liquefy the glazes we retrieved them from the belly of the kiln with long tongs and asbestos gloves, placing them on a stand inside a washtub prepared for such. Hurriedly we placed a tin trashcan (with several sheets of newspaper stuffed inside) upside down over our pieces and left them in this makeshift reduction structure. Then, like digging for treasure, we retrieved them from this after about twenty minutes and washed them off. Oh the colors! You just have to see the pieces to appreciate them! Be sure to check out the pics below of 2004 Annual Raku Day at L & R in Nixa, Missouri.
We enjoyed the food, the people, and the whole process! We purchased another hundred pounds of clay (one of them a deep red that we have high hopes for) and some more glazes. Upon our return home we couldn’t resist rushing right to the studio where I promptly threw five more pieces with the new clay and Cynthia experimented with our new glazes on some test tiles that I had previously prepared for her. We found the color we want for our piece we named Adversity and the memory vase that we created for a family member who lost her mother entitled “Lou”. We can’t wait to apply the glaze!
Thank you L & R in Nixa, Missouri for a great day! We are sure to be there for your next Annual Raku Day!
The event was well attended so we took our place in line helping out with the process for others. After our pieces had fired long enough to liquefy the glazes we retrieved them from the belly of the kiln with long tongs and asbestos gloves, placing them on a stand inside a washtub prepared for such. Hurriedly we placed a tin trashcan (with several sheets of newspaper stuffed inside) upside down over our pieces and left them in this makeshift reduction structure. Then, like digging for treasure, we retrieved them from this after about twenty minutes and washed them off. Oh the colors! You just have to see the pieces to appreciate them! Be sure to check out the pics below of 2004 Annual Raku Day at L & R in Nixa, Missouri.
We enjoyed the food, the people, and the whole process! We purchased another hundred pounds of clay (one of them a deep red that we have high hopes for) and some more glazes. Upon our return home we couldn’t resist rushing right to the studio where I promptly threw five more pieces with the new clay and Cynthia experimented with our new glazes on some test tiles that I had previously prepared for her. We found the color we want for our piece we named Adversity and the memory vase that we created for a family member who lost her mother entitled “Lou”. We can’t wait to apply the glaze!
Thank you L & R in Nixa, Missouri for a great day! We are sure to be there for your next Annual Raku Day!
1 comment:
you guys need to show off some of your work... give us some pics! :)
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