Gale LaPorte; Raku Artist Writes;
“Each of my Raku pieces is drawn from Nature. Living on Vancouver Island and away from the cities helps me move closer to what really matters to me.
Each piece of my Raku pottery is completely hand-sculpted to create its uniqueness. It is left for days to completely dry and is then bisque-fired in an electric kiln. The day before a planned raku firing, a number of pieces are prepared with two to three coats of a chosen glaze (a mix of a variety of chemicals).
The next day, the raku kiln (propane-fired) is preheated, and then filled with my irregular shaped forms and fired for approximately one and one half hours (raising the temperature in increments). When the temperature reaches about 2000 degrees, each piece is removed with tongs and laid in a bed of shredded paper and sawdust. More paper is added on top and a lid is placed over.
We wait (winter does require quicker processing). Shortly there after, (minutes) we lift the lid, brush the ashes aside, watch the glaze colour start to change and then spray with cold water at a precise moment! Each piece is then scrubbed, wired, and prepared for your approval”.
”I thank Mother Nature for her inspiration and I thank you for appreciating”
Gale
P.S. See below one of my magnificent Raku wall hanging whihc symbolises the beginning of summer in the islands. This piece measures 11 by 11 inches. http://www.sidestreetstudio.com/catalog/summer-raku-p-35000.html
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