Raku Results

I think my photos from the actual raku session on the weekend may be better than the ones I took today.  Even though the sky was relatively bright, I didn't seem to be able to capture the vibrancy and iridescence in the colors well today, even after making some color adjustments while editing.  But here they are, anyhow :

1) My notes says that this piece was thrown from reclaimed clay (a combination of Columbia Buff with Grog, WSO, and B-Mix).  The raku glazes include : #5 Red Bronze Lustre, #6 Patina, 881 Oxblood, #1 Ferguson Turquoise, #2 Copper Red, and then I did a few pieces in Yellow and Purple underglaze, with White Crackle glaze over.  I really like how the yellow and purple pieces turned out.  There are also some shiny copper pieces which I was pretty happy with.

2) Same reclaimed clay and similar approach, except I didn't cut out any puzzle pieces on this one, and I like the robust shape of this one a bit more.  it was finished in the same raku glazes, except I also did a couple of pieces in White Crackle glaze.

3) This one is not a vase, it is a closed form, with Davidii involucrate (dove tree) leaf imprints, and cutouts.  If it was more open, it could serve as a candle holder, but this one is just a decoration / centerpiece.  The colors are much more beautiful than in the photo.  It was thrown from Columbia Buff with Grog clay, and finished in the #2 Copper Red glaze.  It amuses me that the glaze is called Copper Red but the result is an iridescent amber / green color.

4) This shiny Butterfly bush (Buddleia) leaf could serve as a small serving plate (e.g. for ginger for sushi), or just decorate the house.  It features a single ladybug (Oxblood, and White Crackle for the eyes), and is glazed otherwise in #2 Copper Red.

5) These 3 pendants were from a set of 6 I made a while back, from WSO sculptural clay and Davidii leaves.  The first 3 I glazed in the soda firing.  These were done in the raku firing.  If you take a look at the soda-fired leaves, they look very different.  Very different, but I think I like the vibrancy and green / black colors from the raku firing.

The remaining pieces, I have already wrapped, as they are a Christmas gift, but I already posted photos in the last post.