Raku Firing is one of my favorite types of firings I have learned because of the many different processes, glaze adjustments and tinkering you can do to obtain a result that can be surprised by. Since the firing time is short, I fire my Raku pieces multiple times.
This series was fired with a Copper Matte Stain (80/20). Usually the firing temperature for copper Matte is lower than that of the average range; I fire the first firing to the latter and quick cool it in a water bath, Re-glaze the piece in a Copper based Boron fritted glaze and fire it for a second time slightly hotter than the mean Raku range.
My base for the Copper Luster Base mainly consists of two raw materials and a precise copper oxide measurement and variations of added secondary oxides such as iron oxide or cobalt. When the matured piece is reduced in combustibles, the initial ignition creates degrees of reduction unique to each piece.
These pieces are beautifully flashed with a rainbow of rich metallic lusters. I especially appreciate the rich deep crimson and a range of blue to blue green hues. This series is rustic and the textures in places and silky smooth in other rather organic.
These are purely decorative and are made to be admire to the point you can’t help but to want to pick the piece up so you can feel and look at the many different angles and faces as they change in different sources of light.
