REGISTRATION IS OPEN! Join us on Saturday July 26 and Sunday July 27 from 10am to 6pm for a raku workshop with Jane White and Susan Salmaron. The cost is $150.
In the event of rain and/or wind, the workshop will take place the following weekend.
Description
Through lectures and firings, participants will identify variables that influence results of raku firings. We will work towards controlling and repeating results. The Guild’s facility and checklists will be emphasized to ensure that participants can run a safe and successful firing at the Guild or anywhere they have access to raku firing.
Safety concerns will be emphasized, including smoke, how fire behaves, possible burns, use of propane, burner, gloves, and choreography.
Each day includes firings and discussion. Sunday will include Foil Sagger firings, led by Susan Salmeron. We will have abvara, horse hair and naked raku slip available.
Open to anyone with a working clay knowledge, who can provide bisqueware made outside of class time. No ware will be made in this workshop and no greenware can be fired. Anyone without access to a studio can use the Fisk Studio in Clinton at a nominal cost. See below.
Special Note
Bring your lunch. Please plan on staying in the building to monitor kilns and participate in discussion.
WORKSHOP DETAIL
Throughout the two days , we will ideally create a list of variables that influence results as well as discuss/analyze results of each kiln load.
Day ONE:
Glaze a provided tile for first kiln load
Divide into two firing teams, each with their own kiln to manage
Discussion of bisqueware to determine any challenges and divide into loads
Images and discussion of possibilities
Glaze your pieces to prep for more firings
We should get through at least 10 firings on the first day
Day TWO:
Continue glazing
Teams meet to determine loads and start kilns
After lunch, Susan Salmaron will lead us in Foil Sagger techniques. We will be able to work on these while waiting for raku kilns to be ready to unload. Bring horse hair, feathers, and any combustible to experiment
Stop firing at 4:30 to discuss results and clean up kiln yard
IMPORTANT
You will be bringing your own bisqueware for the workshop. If you do not already have appropriate bisqueware, see details below on access to the Clinton Studio where you can make your own.
Bisqueware that is porcelain, earthenware, thick (greater than ½ inch thick), thick/thin variation within a piece, or fragile is less likely to survive the firings. There are ways to approach that type of work and we will discuss that, but for the sake of efficiency, please use a stoneware or raku clay body. Nothing should be taller than 11 inches or wider than 12”. Tiles that can fire on their side (leaning against a brick) will use 4” x length of ware that makes contact with shelf.
Raku
We will be able to fire approximately 30 loads. That gives everyone approximately 2.5 kiln loads of space, or 360 square inches of space for ware.
Foil Saggars (on Sunday)
3–4 pieces, no bigger than 6”x 6”x 8”
Burnished terra sigillata on ware is recommended for great results.
Obvara, Naked Raku, and Horse Hair coming out of the raku kilns also looks best on burnished ware
CLINTON STUDIO ACCESS
For people with ceramics experience and who can work independently to prepare for the Guild's Raku Workshop, we are allowing access at the Clinton pottery studio. Details for the Clinton Studio are as follows:
Available June 1 - July 11. Open Hours: Saturday-Friday, 11 AM – 8 PM
Orientation: Sunday June 1, 1 pm (and stay to work if you can) 0r by appt. Please register with Jane at 517-815-4743, text or call and leave message with good time to call back.
After an orientation, please text the day before you come to use studio, with ETA.
Studio Fee : $20/ week if using studio during that week (Saturday - Friday)
Firing Fee : $1.00/pound to bisque fire, $1.50/ pound glaze fire
Clay : $1.00/ pound for raku clay. You can bring your own clay. A stoneware should work for raku and sagger firing
Questions? Call Jane 517-815-4743