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Art of the Day: Thursday June 08, 2006

Raku fish

- by Deborah Sprague

This week's theme: Raku

Raku is a method of firing pottery. Each piece of pottery is fired in a kiln until the piece reaches about 1800 F. The piece is removed, while red hot and placed in a metal can with some sort of combustible material, like paper or sawdust. When this material ignites, the fire and smoke react with the glaze to create unique and unpredictable colors, lusters, and patterns.

Raku pieces are porous and the glazes are very often toxic. They cannot be used for liquids and many foods but they are suitable for any dry item - and of course, Raku pieces are beautiful to look at.

-Melissa Morton

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Art: Raku fish by Artist Deborah Sprague

I LOVE the beach and am constantly inspired by the beauty it holds! This Beautiful one of a kind Raku wall hanging. This piece was hand formed using ceramic clay, once dry it is placed in a kiln and bisque fired. Once cooled they are glazed with a special glaze I make here in the studio and refired to 1850 degrees, at that point they are pulled RED HOT from the kiln with specialty tongs and welders gloves and placed in a pit of Oregon pine needles to "smoke"..This is what causes the unique color effects...It is ready to hang and signed DSprague..It will come with a certificate of Authenticity.