Raku Firing

Hi, I have been a ceramic artist for many, many years. I love ebay, both buying and selling. Usually I do ceramic sculptures which are shown in Galleries though out the Southwest. But I make other ceramic for own use myself. And these beads and Neck Vases are just such an endeavor.

Have have recently gotten very interested in both Kumihimo and Chinese knotting. To my dismay I could not find any really classy bead with big enough holes any where, so I decided to make them. I also dislike beads that are to heavy in a necklace or earrings. In order to solve the to heavy problem I decided to formulate a clay body that used paper fibers instead of sand and grog for temper. I also decided to make the bead that were large enough hollow. These to ideas have worked very well for us, my husband and I, as we dig and make all or our clays ourselves.

When I make the beads and neck vases I either throw each one on the potters wheel or I hand build it, depending on the out come I need. I carve, impress and poke all my designs into the wet bead or vase one at a time. We then run a bisque kiln load for all of the dried beads and vases. Next I have to glaze each piece in a appropriate manner, with glazes that I make myself, as I never like to have anything in my glazes that can be harmful.

The come the final firing. The Oxidation kiln firing is pretty simple, load carefully and heat up the beads and vases slowly, then close it and fire away. These are electric kilns so they are easy to work with. Now Raku is another ball game. The Raku kiln is gas, and we have to be able to access the pieces when they are up to the proper firing temperature, 2000 degrees F +. So it has to be loaded so we can open it and easily take out the piece/pieces when they are are at the maximum temperature and glowing bright orange. We use asbestos gloves and really long pair of special tongs to reach into the kiln and quickly take out the neck vases or beads, which are placed into a mixture or leaves, sawdust and pine needles. I quickly cover the glowing hot pieces with more saw dust and leave and put a tight cover on the whole thing for a few minutes. Then, I take out they still hot ceramic and plunge it into cool water, which immediately cools the pieces and stops all the chemical changes caused by the Raku technique. The stuff comes out looking great, with metallics , lusters and mineral colors that can only be obtains by the method.

I hope you enjoy my work and much as I did making it, Susi

Saw dust with vases just out of the Kiln

Museum of Modern Art, America House, New York City, N.Y. Heard Museum, Phoenix, Az. Joslyn Art Museum, Ne. Wichita Falls Art Center, Tx. San Diego Folk Art Museum, Ca Seattle Folk Art Museum, Wa. El Paso Art Museum, Tx. Arizona State University, Newman Center, Tempe, Az. Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC Palace of the Governor's, Santa Fe, N.M. Taos Artists Association, N.M Tucson Art Museum, Az. Tubac Center for the Arts, AZ. Guadalupe Chapel, Santa Fe, N.M. Mountain Bell Collection Stephen Jensen Collection, Germany Takashi Oshishi Collection, Osaka, Japan Arizona State Museum, Univ. of Ariz., Tucson, Az.

My regular sculptures and drawing can be seen at, www.coyoteandanotherone.com.