Windows to the world/ Raku Vessel

Raku

Continues to one of my favorite art processes. Today it was very hot here in Florida, over 95F. So working outside with a roaring hot propane kiln and drenched in sweat and smoke one must really love doing this!

I was very pleased with this pot. Taking it out of the smoking ashes the coppers and golds peaked out at me like a sunken Spanish treasure being found deep in the ocean. There are details I didn't notice until the glazing coloration brought them out. The white sections that look like emblems take on a form of a building and green areas look like tropical leaves.

I like the variety of texture that I added with my handmade stamps and floral cloth.

Someone in my class asked me it the building with windows was intentional and it was not completely. It is four separate hand made square stamps that made this section.

The bottom left corner shows the detail of a piece of lace I rolled into the clay. I love the way the copper and green met yet the texture stayed the same.

Bird Bath in Blue

Bird Bath

I do not do cute well and rarely do functional ceramics. I am much more concerned about texture and color. This piece is not one I considered a wonderful piece in the beginning, but it has grown on me. I added most of the design on the sides with my handmade stamps. The whitish tan areas are where I rubbed away the glaze. The birds seem to like it, the cats drink from the blue waters and the summer rains keep it full.