More about Raku Technique

Raku, the Japanese expression means enjoyment or happiness and has many connotations. It refers to a ceramic firing technique, a philosophical state of mind and a religious endeavour - or possibly a combination of all three.
Raku technique, as an ancient Japanese way of firing ceramics, first appeared in the late sixteenth century with the ceramist Chojiro. Emperor Hideyosho, in memory of the great ceramist, bestowed a gold seal on Chojiro's son, Jokei. The word raku comes from the ideograph engraved on that seal. Raku technique was brought to the attention of the western world by Bernard Leach. In 1971, while living in Japan, he attended the same kind of "raku party" that has introduced many modern day ceramists to the raku process. In his book, "A Ceramist's Book" Leach described how he saw ceramists decorating ware with strange pigments and dipping them into a thick glaze before putting the pots into a hot kiln and how, after a half hour or so, the still red hot pots were taken from the kiln and allowed to cool. Leach was amazed that the ceramics did not break under the extreme stresses of the high temperature and the rapid cooling. This rapid heating and cooling is the essence of Raku technique!
The rapid firing and cooling of the traditional Japanese Raku technique process is arguably the only thing that it has in common with modern raku work. In an attempt to enliven the colours achieved in Raku firing, ceramists around 1960 began experimenting with glazes and with the placing of the hot pots into combustible materials (a process known as post-firing reduction). It is this relatively modern firing process which Adriena Kutakova also follows to produce her own range of Raku technique ware.
Whereas firing ceramics usually is a controlled, time-consuming process, which takes place behind the closed door of the kiln, Raku-firing is a fast, very direct and yet unpredictable proces. The raku kiln is often seen as a symbol of experimental involvement with heat and ceramic, in contrast to the production kiln and its repetitious control. The popularity of raku technique has grown rapidly in recent years and the introduction of more controllable, efficient and portable ceramic fibre kilns has made this technique more accessible to ceramists. See some of her ceramic works. Click the Ceramic Works - Adriena Kutakova and if you like to buy one then click the ordering button.

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