Hand Calming Stone- Naked Raku fired

Hand Calming stone- Naked Raku

This piece has been hand built using the pinching process, using Ashraf Hannah clay. Ashraf Hannah clay is a beautiful white colour and highly grogged or textured, the grog is essential in the Raku firing, adding strength to the clay to absorb the thermal shock.

After refining the form 3 coats of a fine slip called Terra Sigillata is applied, then burnishing starts, burnishing or polishing the clays surface.

All my work is fired in my electric kiln to 1000oC.

Horse tail hair and sugar are printed onto the red hot clays surface, the carbon print is absorbed into the clays surface, in the alchemy of the Raku firing.