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Category Archives: Raku

Raku from Phoenix Workshop

March 5, 2018RakuDavid

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otterpottery

74 Johnson Avenue
Markerville, Alberta -
Phone 403-638-5177

Here is an enlargement of the white over black gla

Here is an enlargement of the white over black glazing from a butter dish I posted. For those of you that always look for faces, this is going to keep you busy. Enlarge it for extra fun! Saturday December 15th, 10 am to 8 pm, several local artists work will be available alongside my pottery at Otter Pottery. We have been at several #christmasmarkets in the #Sundre area this year. We have plenty more pots that weren’t shown. #market #Olds #Didsbury #Carstairs #Innisfail #Bowden #Reddeer #Calgary #pottery #handmade #arts #Christmas

The #Sundre #potteryclasses will be starting the w

The #Sundre #potteryclasses will be starting the week of September 10th. Everyone is welcome. Limited seats available - book now! Sundre #Olds #Didsbury #Carstairs #Innisfail #Bowden #Reddeer #Calgary #pottery #handmade #sundreclayart #ceramica #raku #lessons #art #rakufired

Just like white over black gives a speckled patter

Just like white over black gives a speckled pattern, white over green gives a similar pattern. On a closer look the pattern of dots is fewer, irregular and less defined. This Butter Dome will be at the #Bergen #christmasmarket, 10 kms south of #Sundre on November 24th. #Olds #Didsbury #Carstairs #Innisfail #Bowden #Reddeer #Calgary #pottery #handmade #arts #butterdish

I have always lived in Canada, and at one time in

I have always lived in Canada, and at one time in Northern Ontario. Reminders of the paintings of the Group of Seven are everywhere in the landscape. The pictures with the theme of Northern Lake Superior attract and haunt me.
Everyone knows of a secluded place where our senses come alive. We love listening to the wind passing through the branches and needles of these trees. The sounds around us. The activation of so many senses at once is overwhelming – you never forget it.
I’m not a member of the famous group but I can make my version of solitary trees. Creating scenes in ceramics with glazes, makes the landscape sparkle and come to life.
You can build up clay to make the trees step forward and the waters and hills recede. The day advances, shadows move over the clay, highlighting and hiding features. The water is always glistening. The reality of being there hits me again.

Learning to combine glazes takes time. This time w

Learning to combine glazes takes time. This time with a sponge. Not too much and not too little. Join us for the #Sundre #potteryclasses starting the week of March 25th. We have space available for every evening 7 to 10 pm if you would like to come and have some fun creating. Visit http://www.potteryclasses.page for details. #Olds #Didsbury #Carstairs #Innisfail #Bowden #Reddeer #Calgary #pottery #handmade #art #wheelthrowing #ceramics #potteryglazes

This is a vase I made several years ago. It was in

This is a vase I made several years ago. It was initially glazed with an ash glaze on a brown clay. You can see the brown rivulets stopping at the base. The whole vase looked that brown color, pretty boring. Comparing it to my recent work, I was getting embarrassed looking at it. I have liked the response of how the Nuka glaze has been working out, so I applied some glaze and re-fired the vase. It was worth it. The brown clay is highlighted by the bright whites and blue of the new glaze. Now you see the older brown glaze as an echo of the Nuka glaze. Join us for #potteryclasses in #Sundre starting the week of January 21st. Visit http://www.potteryclasses.page for details. #Olds #Didsbury #Carstairs #Innisfail #Bowden #Reddeer #Calgary #pottery #handmade #art #ashglaze

The order that you apply the glazes gives differen

The order that you apply the glazes gives different effects. White over black gives the speckled pattern. Extra interest is added by the random crawling of the black glaze on this butter dish. We will be at several #christmasmarkets in the #Sundre area this year. On November 18th at the Sundre #market. #Olds #Didsbury #Carstairs #Innisfail #Bowden #Reddeer #Calgary #pottery #handmade #arts

These are cups from the recent wood and electric f

These are cups from the recent wood and electric firings. You can never have too many mugs – and they make the perfect gift. We make mugs in the #potteryclasses in #Sundre. There are exclusive mug making courses available. Once you use a handmade mug you wonder why you used an assembly line mug for so long. #Olds #Didsbury #Carstairs #Innisfail #Bowden #Reddeer #Calgary #pottery #handmade #woodfiredpottery #lessons #arts #woodfired #mug #cup

I have several pieces of pottery that I have accum

I have several pieces of pottery that I have accumulate that are to be Raku fired. I’m waiting for a good day of weather and some experienced help to be available at the same time. Here is a plate I did in my last firing. Fantastic results. The crack adds more interest in the viewing. The #potteryclasses here in #Sundre still have room for students. Everyone is welcome. Sundre #Olds #Didsbury #Carstairs #Innisfail #Bowden #Reddeer #Calgary #pottery #handmade #Raku

In the last posting, did you notice the wave shape

In the last posting, did you notice the wave shaped shadow cast by the sculpture. Therefore, both of these pieces were also wave shaped. A little something to hang back about and not point out right away. These pieces of wall art are about textures. The leather frames the work. It looks and feels so different from the craggy canyons and hills of the landscapes of these pieces. This is a raku type of clay, but I wanted to fire it in a low temperature barrel fire. They both were placed in a barrel full of wood chips, bark, saw dust, pine cones and roots. The wood was lit to burned in the barrel all night. These two pieces were discovered hidden amongst the ashes and incombustibles.

Here are more of the mugs that came out of the lat

Here are more of the mugs that came out of the latest kiln firing. What great results!! If you are interested in the pottery classes here in Sundre I have some starting July 1st. Book Early! #Sundre #Olds #Didsbury #Carstairs #Innisfail #Bowden #Reddeer #Calgary #pottery #handmade #potteryclasses

A French Butter Dish. Keep your butter nice and cr

A French Butter Dish. Keep your butter nice and creamy all the time while sitting on the table. The butter goes in the bell-shaped top. Put enough water in the base to submerge the rim of the top to make an air tight seal. Makes a great Christmas Gift. I will be at the #Bergen #christmasmarket, 10 kms south of #Sundre on November 24th. #Olds #Didsbury #Carstairs #Innisfail #Bowden #Reddeer #Calgary #pottery #handmade #arts #butterdish

I have done a lot of primitive firing, specificall

I have done a lot of primitive firing, specifically barrel firing. The technique uses a 45 gallon oil drum with a few holes to let in a bit of air, place a layer of wood, bark, wood chips, pine cones etc, than alternate with a layer of pottery until the barrel is full. The barrel is lit and burns/smolders away for about 24 hours. As the wood burns away, the pottery settles or falls to the bottom of the barrel. There is some breakage and cracking to this method. I have #potteryclasses in Sundre starting the week of July 2nd week. There will also be some classes aimed as a day camp for kids. Book Early! #Sundre #Olds #Didsbury #Carstairs #Innisfail #Bowden #Reddeer #Calgary #pottery #handmade #potteryclasses #sculpture

Here are the student’s mugs from the #potterycla

Here are the student’s mugs from the #potteryclasses as well as the large bowl. This took more time to glaze than I hoped. I needed a good day for spraying the glaze on the bowl. The finished pieces position corresponds to the prior picture when they were only bisque fired. #Sundre #Olds #Didsbury #Carstairs #Innisfail #Bowden #Reddeer #Calgary #pottery #handmade #potteryclasses #sculpture

Wall art has always been of interest to me. There

Wall art has always been of interest to me. There are so many different shapes and sizes and depths that can be used, I`m sure painters are jealous. Different pottery making and firing techniques can be used to compliment the work as well as suggest and reinforce ideas. This naked raku style of firing the work, enhances and suggests the rings of growth of a tree in the passing of time. #Sundre #potterycourses #Olds #Bowden #Didsbury #Innisfail #Pottery #Sculpture

You can cover any color glaze body with a slip (cl

You can cover any color glaze body with a slip (clay mixed with water so that it is a slurry) of a different color. Here I have used white and black stained porcelain slip over the tan clay body. It makes it silky smooth and your glazes pop. Join us for the #Sundre #potteryclasses starting the week of March 25th. We have space available for every evening 7 to 10 pm if you would like to come and have some fun creating. Visit http://www.potteryclasses.page for details. #Olds #Didsbury #Carstairs #Innisfail #Bowden #Reddeer #Calgary #pottery #handmade #art #wheelthrowing #ceramics #potteryglazes

This is a bit of an aside - This is Mental Health

This is a bit of an aside - This is Mental Health Awareness Month. Don’t be fooled by the “health awareness” words. It is just a nice glossing over of the words “mental illness”. The illness of today that you “dare not speak its name”. The aside is over! I really like this sculpture. The turtle is the handle for the lid of the pot. When you look in the pot you should expect to see the “Turtles all the way down”. The saying holds that the world is supported by a chain of increasingly large turtles. Beneath each turtle is yet another: it is "turtles all the way down" that are supporting our planet as it travels through space. I love to hear about the stories and myths we have about humankind. Coincidently, the book that has this title is a powerful tale of the pain of mental illness.

Pottery classes are just about finished for the ye

Pottery classes are just about finished for the year. After many years of making pottery and giving lessons, I have my own teaching method. Everyone got to make a cup or bowl on their first night trying the wheel. Some made several vases. It is wonderful to see everyone so happy and excited about the success of their first go at the wheel. Join us for #potteryclasses in #Sundre. Visit http://www.potteryclasses.page for details. #Olds #Didsbury #Carstairs #Innisfail #Bowden #Reddeer #Calgary #pottery #handmade #arts #Christmas #raku #newyears #2019

Klohe is in Sundre at the #potteryclasses that are

Klohe is in Sundre at the #potteryclasses that are being held at Otter Pottery. She is an excellent judge of pottery. Everything has to meet up with her standards. She always picks her favourite piece.

The long flowing lines left by the harrows follow

The long flowing lines left by the harrows follow the contours of the landscape. This sculptural, black raku piece shows the shadows of machinery dragged across fields. But, the synchronizing of the lines as they flow up and down, twisting around the hills make me think of the lingering shadows left behind by a murmuration. Join us for #potteryclasses in #Sundre. Visit http://www.potteryclasses.page for details. #Olds #Didsbury #Carstairs #Innisfail #Bowden #Reddeer #Calgary #pottery #handmade #arts #Christmas #raku #newyears #farming #sculpture #murmuration

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