Crackle & Glow: Raku Ceramics - Oct 4-28, 2024 - The Artery, Davis

I have always been drawn to stones, and I love the corelationship that naked raku has with natural stone.  The visual finish of naked raku invites you to touch the smooth surfaces that mimic a natural polished stone, which provides more of a sensory experience.

Naked Raku starts with the same raku technique, but the key difference is that the glaze falls off after firing. After making the piece, the surface is burnished to make it smooth and silky. After the piece becomes bisque in the electric kiln, a coat of slip (liquid clay) and a layer of glaze is applied on top.  After the 2nd firing in the gas kiln, the piece is removed while still hot, then water is poured onto the piece slowly. Because of the coat of slip, the glaze doesn’t stick to the clay - instead, it falls off and peels like an egg shell. Finally, it is cleaned and polished again to give it a silky smooth finish, revealing the black crackles.