Raku , Joy & Happiness.

Results from my first Raku firing

Joy / Happiness

Raku is a type of pottery originating from Japan meaning Joy happiness and is traditionally used in the Japanese tea ceremony, most often in the form of tea bowls, they are fairly porous vessels, the results can be amazing depending on what type of glaze etc. so I think I shall be experimenting !!! oh yes.

 

Results from my first Raku firing


 

 

October has been very busy and living in a very rural area sourcing materials can be difficult, so I jumped at the offer from my potter friend Rob Farrar saying he would be going to our pottery supplier in Valencia and do I want him to get a ready made Raku glaze for me ! And as I didn't really want to make my own Raku glaze (at this point) this was ideal.

 

 

 

 

Overall I am pleased with the results although I have a lot to learn about putting the glaze on at the correct thickness etc and  I probably fired the pots for a little too long.

 

 

 

Pots glazed ready for firing

My small bisque / raku kiln during firing.
 

So I shall take this firing and hopefully improve, but I must say I have so enjoyed the process and find it fascinating.

 

Maggie beavering away with what she calls a scrap quilt
 

 

 

 I suggested it was a chaos quilt only to be told wait until its finished my dear !!! ha

 

 

I am looking forward to the end result and If I can produce ceramic pots as well as her scrap quilt I will be a happy chap.

 

Till the next time !

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 





Glorious September / October

Glorious September / October

 

Its been a while since my last blog, so much has happened !!! life changing events the birth of our 6th grandson George, born 3 weeks ago, such a proud family we are. The building of a small bugalow for my father in my sisters rear garden ! which will make his later life so much more comfortable and also Sis as his carer,  we are improving the front of our home here in Spain, all with the aim of giving our dog 'Bonnie' more freedom or maybe it's to stop her going on walkabouts and stealing our neighbour's dogs food  ha ha

 

                            So what's going on with the Pottery  'Well'   I have had a second bisque firing which was successful and I am now planning my first Raku firing, hopefully I shall post the results, also I have been working alongside Catherine helping her to make her own kiln brick and firing them to use in her new kiln, (to be built. !!! ) she has been very busy making the bricks from 50% Kaolin and 50% sawdust ,  I have posted 2 new video's you can watch on my You Tube channel MasBlancPottery firing bricks and results.

Firing of Catherine's kiln bricks in a 40 gallon raku kiln

 

 

My fathers new pad ha ha coming on nicely

 

 

The weather in September /  October has been so lush , we are still enjoying a swim ! , 22c in the pool this evening.

 A rare pic of me taking a dip. Oh dear ! 

Maggie is beavering away  producing wonder quilts more pics to follow !

 

 

Till the next time !