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Ruth EhrenkrantzCeramics
My naked raku work is a collaboration with chance. I am drawn to this firing method which makes each vessel unique and there is never certainty about how a piece will emerge from the kiln. I explore form and pattern in partnership with this uncertainty.
Naked raku is the process I focus on. A clay slip is applied to the vessel, the slip dries and shrinks and the piece is fired. When a piece is removed hot from the kiln, it is put into a reduction (oxygen deprived) chamber with combustibles. Where the slip has cracked in the kiln, carbon from the reduction fire embeds in the clay making patterns that for me, are ageless. After the firing, each piece is cleaned and sealed. Stacked stones are often added to a ceramic lid. It is important to keep the work out of direct sunlight as it can fade over time. |