Raku

Raku is a Japenese firing process that involves rapidly heating pieces in an outdoor kiln to about 1600-1800 degrees F. Once the glazes are melted, the pieces are pulled from the kiln and placed into a container with a combustable material, such as newspaper, pine needles, or sawdust. The hot piece ignites the newspaper, etc and then a lid is applied to the container and left to sit a while. The flame pulls all the oxygen from inside the container, including the glaze and clay body. This results in metalic colors coming through and smoked effects on crackle glazes. These pieces are decorative only and not water tight or intended for food consumption. Video below of firing from 2010.