Stunning Raku Pottery Will Enhance Any Decor
Raku pottery has become a popular interior design accessory that is becoming more popular as a technique with professional potters and hobby pottery enthusiasts and more widely used to enhance any décor because of the mutant color qualities that blend with existing decorating schemes.
Raku pottery takes its origin in Japan, where the family of Japanese potters from the16th Kyoto created the style and distinctive characteristics of low temperature and interrupted firing, because their firing was wood-fueled kilns, since there was no propane at the time.
While some lore believes that “smoking” gave Raku the name and characteristics, that myth comes from the fact that the pottery was allowed to air-cool after the traditional fire started to die down, and the smoke formed the variant color details.
It has become popular again in the last twenty-five years as the Raku pottery techniques involve drawing red hot pots from a kiln and the subsequent “smoking” of the pottery is done in sawdust for the effect. In fact, Hamada, the famous Japanese potter, once said he wanted to wait until the end of his life to learn how to make Raku pottery, because it was the most important and difficult technique to master.
Raku pottery techniques are done in various ways and originally earthenware was used, although any clay body can be used in the process, because it is the glazing and firing technique that makes it distinct. Much of the characteristics of this pottery come from the glaze that is used and it will cool with a “cracking” appearance, also called crazing, that gives the pottery vibrant color contrasts, which are mutable, and may have strong simple shapes and random crazing.
Because of these characteristics, they make a stunning collection of elegant pottery that can fit a wide range of interior decors and have colors that mutate to harmonize with the surroundings of a room. Pleasing to the eye, calming to the spirit and bringing joy and harmony to your heart and life are part of the Raku tradition. Traditionally, Japanese used Raku for their Japanese tea parties for these reasons in ancient centuries.
Today, Raku pottery comes in a variety of finishes and patterns. Bright colors like lapis, aqua, persimmon, red, coffee, amethyst, egg plant gray or gun metal blue are examples. Finishes turn out with different patterns that vary with the color of glaze used. Pottery that is Raku inspired is often inspired by primitive ritual and ceremonial ceramics from around the world. Examples would be a fetish pot, volcano seed pots or volcano bowls.
These unique pottery shapes, colors and finishes can turn a room into an artistically pleasing palette that features the aesthetic and relaxing Zen-like traits that make this type of pottery more than just another vase. If you have never seen Raku pottery, then you will certainly recognize it for the unique glazing patterns, vibrant colors and unusual shapes it can have. It is these characteristics that have made it so popular in decorating today.
The different look you achieve by using Raku pottery, versus normal Ceramic Pottery with standard glazes is dramatic, as the Raku pottery has an almost ancient pottery look that gives it an old world character, yet has shapes that are unique, edge techniques that are free formed or different patterned and can become the focal point of any room, regardless of other decorating styles in a room. You can enhance any décor when you use this pottery to compliment your interior design.
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Handmade Raku Cross Magnet with Gemstone by Raku Potteryworks $10.50 Raku Potteryworks – unique raku creations that make great gifts. Raku generally refers to a type of low-firing process that was inspired by traditional Japanese raku firing. Western-style raku usually involves removing pottery from the kiln while at bright red heat and placing it into containers with combustible materials…. |
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Bright and Shiney Raku Vase with Additive Flower $45.00 Decorative beautiful and unique, there’s not another like it. Make your gift giving unique like that…. |
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Throwing American Style Raku Pottery: for the beginner $29.99 This video teaches the beginning student how to throw Raku and other types of pottery on the potter’s wheel. Your host Robert Briggs demonstrates the techniques quickly and professionally with a sure-fire, accelerated approach! Robert Briggs has worked as a professional graphic and fine artist in the Southwest Missouri area for over 20 years. His attention to the natural surroundings has given him… |
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Beginning Handbuilding (DVD) $49.00 Graham Sheehan introduces beginning potters to basic hand-building techniques. After showing how to make simple pinch pots, he demonstrates coil and slab building methods using five different projects of increasing complexity. The video features close-ups that provide details about how clay should be prepared, how it can be joined to another piece and how glazes can be used to decorate forms. The … |
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Beginning Raku (DVD) $49.00 Gordon Hutchens introduces beginning potters to basic raku techniques. He discusses desirable properties of clays used in raku firings and then shows how to prepare the clay. He makes several pots which are bisque-fired, then decorated using techniques that take advantage of the unique characteristics of raku. After preparing his pots Gordon shows how to make a simple kiln from a 55 gallon drum. F… |
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Tall Slender Pottery Buffet Console Table Lamp $160.00 An unusual shape for a pottery lamp, and an unusual medium for a console lamp, this raku ceramic has an casual elegance…. |
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Alternative Kilns & Firing Techniques: Raku * Saggar * Pit * Barrel (A Lark Ceramics Book) $7.92 Ceramicists searching for new ways to fire their creations now have a wealth of options. Authors James Watkins and Paul Wandless, along with a group of distinguished artisans, demonstrate in detail how to build low-cost, low-tech, yet high-quality kilns. The plans range from an easy, affordable, and versatile Raku Kiln to a unique wood-fueled Downdraft Stovepipe Barrel one. These clever devices ma… |
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500 Raku: Bold Explorations of a Dynamic Ceramics Technique (500 Series) $14.15 Raku is an ancient ceramics technique enjoying a modern-day renaissance. This groundbreaking new entry in the highly successful 500 series demonstrates the vitality and invention of today’s raku ceramics. Objects including cups, plates, bowls, vases, and statuary contribute to this international gallery of work juried by Jim Romberg, one of the leading practitioners and teachers of raku in the w… |
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Mastering Raku: Making Ware * Glazes * Building Kilns * Firing (A Lark Ceramics Book) $12.46 From firing to finishing, this definitive reference on raku–now in paperback–is a must-have for artists of all skill levels. Ceramists will be informed and inspired by this attractive hands-on book, which focuses on techniques, not projects. It’s packed with ideas, designs, and recipes, and covers every aspect of the raku process: types of clay, forming techniques, decoration, glazes, kilns and… |
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Faux-Raku Bird Feeder Craft Kit (Makes 24) $24.99 Create replicas of the raku pottery of ancient tradition. Kids can use these handy finished projects as either a bird feeder or a planter. Includes foam bowls, non-toxic decoupage, jute twine, assorted tissue strips, brushes and instructions.; ; Our Gee-Perz-brand products make planning easy.; All supplies are included everything your group needs for Right Out of the Box Fun! That means MORE brush… |
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Gray Sand Raku Bowl $928 Gray Sand Raku Bowl – Made of: Raku Ceramic |
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Iris Raku Wall Art $2755 Iris Raku Wall Art – Made of: Raku Ceramic and Wood |
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Raku Red Table Lamp w/ Gold Shade $550 Raku Red Table Lamp w/ Gold Shade – Shade Diameter and Height -18x19x11 – Shade Fabric – Silk |
