Raku Collection
Raku Pottery was developed in Japan in the early 1500’s as the Ceremonial Tea Ware of the Zen Buddhist Masters. The word Raku signifies the enjoyment of freedom. Raku firing is one of the most natural techniques that you can encounter in pottery. In Raku firing, all of nature's elements are used, earth, fire, air, and water. According to the Zen Masters, its elusive, subtle, yet vigorous beauty is Raku's only worth. It is valued because it is believed that the Spirit of the Maker is embodied in the form. It is believed that if we are alert to ourselves, in contemplating the Raku form, we will recognize in it our own Spirit and Meaning.
Alternative Firing Collection
Saggar Firing was first used by the Chinese to keep wood ash off of their beautiful celadon glazed pottery when firing with a wood-burning kiln. My saggar-fired pieces are fired in a gas kiln, but we now use these same saggars in reverse, in that the pottery is placed inside the saggar containing combustible materials to color its surface. The results of each firing are different, and like raku, there are no two pieces of saggar pottery alike due to the fact that the potter does not have total control over the patterns that are created inside it. While the results of Saggar firing cannot be fully controlled, I have learned ways of influencing serendipity to achieve my desired results.
