Raku is an old Japanese way of firing pottery. Compared to modern kilns that take a long time to heat up and cool down, raku does the job almost instantaneously. The whole process takes less than an hour. Bisque-fired ceramics is arranged on the shelf of a raku kiln, covered with a lid and quickly brought up to about 1800 F, more or less depending on a glaze or technique applied.
Before I get back to food (clay is good, but I don't like its taste), here's two more ceramic critters for you. This time, two little owls.
makes my winter less murky and gray.
My gang of little monsters is finally home. Ilya, my husband, picked them up at Seattle Pottery Supply store, where they were undergoing last firing at cone 5. Almost right from the kiln:
Also known as thumb pot, pinch pot is one of the oldest pottery technique on earth. All you need is a ball of clay and your hands. You start with making a deep hole in the center of the ball with your finger and then pinch the walls up going in a spiral motion to make sure their thickness is uniform from bottom to top.
This time I made several bowls and cups. After my pots were close to leather-hard stage, I carved their exteriors with a ribbon tool and attached bottom rings, handles to cups and gravy boats, and legs to salsa bowls.
Here are some them.
A tea cup:
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