Raku pottery is one of the most natural techniques for creating decorative Clay Works. Originally developed in Japan, dating back to 16th Century as the official ceremonial tea ware of the Zen Buddhist Masters. Raku firing employs all of nature's elements: Earth,fire, air and water. Zen Masters prize Raku for its elusive, subtle, and raw natural beauty. Raku work is also valued because it is believed that the spirit of the artist is embodied in the finished form.
Over time, many variations have emerged. The name "Raku" translates to: Enjoyment, Happiness, & Comfort. In my estimation, this perfectly encapsulates the essence of Double R Clay Works!
Compared to standard methods, Raku is much more unpredictable, and failure rate is 5-10x of traditional methods. As the pieces are removed from the kiln at peak firing temperatures (approx. 1800°F), and immediately transferred to the ambient air (using long black-smith like tongs) to paper-lined metal cans for final reduction firing process (For alternate Raku techniques the process may also include: Dipping the piece into a specific solution (Obvara), or briefly placed on a table and without actually touching the piece, adding horse-hair (or alternate animal hair sources) before then transferring with the tongs to the reduction container (most typically, a metal can).
Once placed in the reduction container, the red-hot pottery ignites the combustable materials (saw dust, news paper etc.). In many cases, the can is then "sealed" with wet news-paper to create a more air-tight condition to maximize the reduction (Reduction of the available oxygen within this final firing phase). This "starves" the now enclosed combustion chamber of oxygen (i.e. "Reduction Firing").
Other rake variations include: "Naked" a.k.a Smoked Raku, Obvara Raku (producing various shades of coffee-tones, and Saggar Raku. Saggar pieces are placed inside a sacrificial Saggar container, while also adding various combustable materials to achieve desired colors and textures on the finished surface.
Speed is a critical factor in the Raku process. All styles of Raku need to be rapidly completed (Optimally, less than 60 seconds from when the piece is first removed from the kiln with the blacksmith-like metal tongs), to achieve desired results. Frequent breakage, toxic fume inhalation, and the always present risk of burns are also part of the Raku process. Not a job suited to the un-motivated or faint of heart.
Due to the rugged nature of Raku, significant cleaning (sometimes extensive) of each surviving piece is required after the work has cooled. For these reasons, Raku pottery is most often priced higher than a similar work employing traditional methods. For enthusiasts, the beautiful eye-popping work is a treasure worthy of the hazards involved!