Many artists are drawn to practices and techniques with an uncontrollable element to them.
The Origins of Raku Pottery
Raku pottery is a low-firing process that originated in Japan in the sixteenth century, traditionally used for the tea ceremony. Tanaka Chōjirō, believed to be the first person to ever create raku ware, made tea-bowls for the tea-master Sen no Rikyu. Tanaka Chōjirō’s descendants, known as the Raku family, continue to produce raku pieces today, many years and generations later.
The Essence of Raku
The nature of the technique is wonderfully described in the meaning of the word raku, which is, 'happiness in the accident.' The traditional Japanese method of Raku is a natural firing process that relies on each of the elements: fire, air, earth and water.
Western Adaptations of Raku
Western ceramic artists have adopted and modified their own versions of Raku pottery. In the West, raku pottery firing also sees the removal of pieces from the kiln when the temperature is at its peak, but rather than being left to cool in the open, work is placed in combustible materials (such as paper or sawdust) to cool.
Raku Glazing: The Alchemy of Art
At its core, Raku glazing is about applying a carefully formulated mixture of chemicals onto a ceramic surface. This glaze, composed of silica, feldspar, and various metal oxides, undergoes a profound metamorphosis during the firing process. In the heart of Raku glazing lies the alchemy of creating distinct glazes.
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Our signature green metal effect glaze, inspired by traditional Chinese and Japanese aesthetics, involves a precise recipe. Combining copper carbonate, iron oxide, rutile, and a touch of feldspar in specific proportions, this formulation yields a glaze that dances between deep greens and metallic hues during the firing process. This carefully crafted combination not only produces a visually captivating green metal effect but also ensures a harmonious interaction with the firing process. As the glaze undergoes transformation in the kiln, the copper carbonate introduces dynamic greens, while the iron oxide and rutile contribute to the mesmerizing metallic qualities. Feel free to experiment with these proportions to achieve variations in color intensity and surface texture.
The selection of glazes is a critical step in the Raku glazing process. Each component in the glaze plays a specific role, from providing color to influencing the melting point. Artists often blend different glazes to achieve unique effects.
Once glazed pieces enter the kiln, they experience a rapid temperature climb. The glazes melt, transforming into a glassy surface.
The reduction chamber, often a metal container filled with combustible materials like sawdust or newspaper, initiates a reduction atmosphere. This oxygen-starved environment induces chemical reactions, altering the colors and patterns on the glazed surface.
Several factors influence the final glaze effects in Raku firing. The speed at which the kiln is cooled post-firing adds another layer of complexity.
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The rapid cooling characteristic of Raku firing introduces an inherent risk: thermal shock. The stark temperature contrast between the hot kiln and the reduction chamber can lead to cracks.
Crackle glazes, a hallmark of Raku, involve intentionally creating fine cracks in the glaze surface. This effect is achieved by formulating glazes with a high thermal expansion coefficient.
Raku glazing is not merely an art form; it's a technical poetry that weaves together chemistry, physics, and artistic intuition.
How to Get the Most from an Obvara Firing | MARCIA SELSOR
Raku Pottery in South Africa
In South Africa, Raku pottery is traditionally a very colorful form of art. A stunning fair trade, hand-made African 10 piece nativity scene crafted using the Raku pottery technique. These pieces are handcrafted in South Africa and the designs are the originals of the artist. The ancient Japanese method of Raku firing lends itself to unique African inspired pottery. Each piece is removed from the gas kiln at 950 degrees Celsius and placed in sawdust. The glaze crazing is then blackened by the smoldering sawdust.
Discovering Raku with Mandy in the Eastern Cape
Discover the less explored Wild Coast of the Eastern Cape, African penguins and the big five at local game reserves while learning various pottery techniques from master potter Mandy.
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Meet the Artist
Mandy is a potter who specializes in throwing but also uses coiling and other handbuilding techniques. At Goldsmith’s College in London, she was privileged to learn from master potters including Magdalene Odundo, Takeshi Yasuda and Lisa Hammond. Ray Silverman, a pupil of Lucie Rie, taught glaze making. She moved to South Africa in 1995 and has been lecturing in ceramics for the last five years. She is inspired by her environment, especially the seashore, rocks, sand, shells and driftwood. Locally sourced materials - black ilmenite sand from the beach, acacia thorn-wood ash and additions of the coarse local clay make her work unique.
"It is a lovely coast all along from East London, with its red sandhills and wide sweeps of vivid green, dotted here and there with Xhosa kraals, and bordered by a ribbon of white surf, which spouts up in pillars of foam where it hits the rocks." - King Solomon’s Mines. Rider Haggard
VAWAA Includes:
- Finding your unique voice by exploring your sources of inspiration.
- Discover the therapeutic value of working with clay.
- A drawing session in the forest or explore the beach to find inspiration in sea worn shells, and ready-made driftwood sculptures.
- Handbuilding to form candleholders, textured slab dishes, coil an African beer pot, or small sculptures for beginners.
- Advanced techniques of coiling, clay sculpture or throwing larger pots for those with experience.
- Your own ceramic pottery pieces.
- A raku firing on the last day if you want a finished piece to take home with you.
You'll be staying on the studio property, in one of two fully equipped, self-catering cottages. There is a one-bedroom thatched treehouse (accessible by stairs), which also has a spacious family room that can serve as an extra bedroom, as well as a two-bedroom family cottage. Each bedroom is en-suite, can sleep up to 3 guests with double doors to the garden and patio, and is adjacent to the Kwelera Coastal Nature Reserve - with abundant bird and animal life, including inquisitive monkeys. Includes WiFi. You will also be around a friendly cat, dog, and free-ranging hens.
Exploring East London
East London boasts pristine beaches along the coast to explore, swim, surf, fish. Gonubie beach has a blue flag status. The East London aquarium has beautifully lit tanks displaying the fish of the Indian Ocean. There is also a whale viewing platform and you can meet the African Jackass penguins. Yes! African Penguins! The East London Museum is home to the Coelocanth, the prehistoric fish which was thought to be extinct. You can see the fossilized footprints of a 124,000 year old child found in the Nahoon Point Nature Reserve. Or, head to Inkwenkwezi Game Reserve at Cintsa to see the big five - lion, buffalo, leopard, rhino and elephant as well as giraffe, zebra and ostrich, or to see rock art at a secret location. Enjoy cooking outdoors and watching shooting stars and the Milky Way!
The Eastern Cape also includes the unspoilt Transkei where you can visit Coffee Bay or Bulungula, the Hogsback Mountain resort, the Addo Elephant Park, and surfers’ destination Jeffreys Bay. East London is great to visit year-round. Winter, from May to August, is especially nice when weather is dry with warm, sunny days. The National Arts Festival takes place every year in Makhanda (formerly Grahamstown) for 11 days, from late June to early July.
This VAWAA is available for a longer duration, up to 10 days. Can be adapted for kids, elders, and people with special needs. Mandy speaks English, some French, and basic Xhosa.
Additional Pottery Workshops and Services
Wheel Throwing Experience - Just R100 for 30 Minutes!
Every Public Holiday - Bookings are essential!
| Date |
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| 21 March 2025 |
| 21 April 2025 |
| 01 May 2025 |
| 16 June 2025 |
| 09 Aug 2025 |
| 24 September 2025 |
| 16 December 2025 |
Porcelain Workshop 30 November 2025 - Costs: R700 from 10:00 - 14:00
Discover the art of working with porcelain and create your own elegant, handcrafted masterpiece. Limited spots available to keep this session personal and inspiring, so bookings are essential! Don’t miss this creative escape - reserve your seat today and bring your vision to life!
Laser printed images transfer on clay 05 October 2025 - Costs: R700 from 10:00 - 14:00
Learn the art of laser-printed image transfer on clay and create personalized, one-of-a-kind pieces that tell your story! 🖤 This is perfect for adding a unique touch to your ceramics - whether it’s a gift or your next favorite décor piece. Bookings Essential - Limited spots for an intimate, hands-on experience. Secure your seat today and bring your creativity to life!
Classes | Bisque-ware | Clay
Bisque-ware
Explore our collection of bisqueware, ready for glazing, painting, and a variety of decorative techniques. Choose your favorite piece and bring it to life with ceramic underglaze or brush-on glaze for a personal, artistic touch.
Pit Fire & Raku Workshops
The Workshop Starts at 08h00 2025 - Costs: R1300 per four items being fired
- 16 March
- 25 May
- 24 August
- 26 October
- 23 November
Bookings essential
Glazing & Specialized Firing Techniques:
Bring your own bisqueware items of buy from our studio.
Raku Reduction Firing: Pots are pulled red-hot from the kiln, covered in sawdust for +- 60 minutes and scrubbed to reveal each pot's unique glazed finish.
Pit Firing: Pots are packed into a pit, where smoke and fire create organic tones and markings.
Additional techniques, including Fumed raku, Saggar, and Obvaru, are available upon request for distinctive surface effects.
Mouldmaking Workshop
Dates to be organized for 6 people
The Workshop entails:
- Making moulds with plaster
- Demonstration of making a hump mould, a one-piece mould and a two-piece mould
- Making your own small one-piece mould
- Demonstration of slip casting a mould
- How to obtain clay, plaster etc.
Cost: R1400 per workshop (Includes Material)
Bookings Essential
We offer classes for special occasions such as:
Birthday Celebrations | Anniversaries | Bridal Showers | Team Building
Groups of 6-15 10% Discount for 6 and more
Ages 6 and up welcome!
Firing services
We offer professional firing services with a lead time of three weeks. Pricing varies based on the size of the item and whether it requires a bisque firing or a glaze firing. Our kiln firing ensures a high-quality finish for all your ceramic pieces, whether you are working on functional items or decorative art.
Raku Pottery Experience with Hirotsugu Ogawa
Create beautiful Raku-style pottery under the guidance of a fourth generation master artisan. Raku pottery is most commonly used to create bowls for authentic and high-class Japanese tea ceremonies. Dating back over 400 years, Raku style bowls are formed by hand without the assistance of a pottery wheel. Each bowl is fired individually at a low temperature, and removed from the kiln while still hot to let the piece cool in the open air. This process makes the glaze change color, meaning you will not know the true appearance of your piece until it has been cooled completely.
About The Experience
We have prepared for you an opportunity of a lifetime to experience Raku pottery making with the guidance from a fourth generation master artisan, Hirotsugu Ogawa. Hirotsugu Ogawa, the son of Ogawa Choraku III, is a renowned potter in his own right. His works have transcended the traditional boundaries of Raku pottery by collaborating with artists from a wide array of arts, including design and flower arrangements. Hirotsugu has had shows across the world, including the US, France, Germany, and South Africa.
Raku ceramic pottery is a traditional Japanese style of pottery that dates back to the 16th century. It was originally developed by Chojiro, a student of the tea master Sen no Rikyu, as a way to create tea bowls for the Japanese tea ceremony. The word "raku" means "enjoyment" or "ease," reflecting the relaxed and informal atmosphere of the tea ceremony. Raku ceramics are known for their distinctive, rough texture, and often feature crackled or iridescent glazes. The pottery is fired at a low temperature and then removed from the kiln while still red-hot and placed in a container with combustible materials, which creates unique, one-of-a-kind patterns and textures on the surface of the piece.
The Raku Copper Matte Process
The Raku copper matte process is a firing technique used in Raku pottery. Here's an overview of the process:
Preparation:
The Raku pottery is made using a low-fire clay body and glazed with a special Raku glaze.
Firing:
The Raku pottery is fired to a temperature between 1,700-1,800°F.
Cooling:
After firing, the Raku pottery is removed from the kiln while still red hot, and placed in a reduction chamber. This reduction chamber can be anything from a metal trash can to a pit dug in the ground, and is filled with combustible materials such as sawdust or paper. The pottery is covered and the reduction chamber is set on fire, creating smoke that suffocates the oxygen in the chamber.
Finishing:
After the reduction process, the Raku pottery is removed from the reduction chamber and cooled rapidly. This cooling process can cause the glaze to crack, which is often desirable in Raku pottery.
It's important to note that Raku pottery is not considered food safe, as the rapid cooling and reduction process can cause the glaze to be porous and potentially allow bacteria to grow. It's best used as decorative pieces only.
Safety Considerations for Raku Firing
Although Raku pottery is very beautiful there are risks associated with Raku copper matte firing.
- Raku firing involves reaching very high temperatures and using glazes that can produce toxic fumes. Inhaling the fumes can cause respiratory problems. One must always use propose safety gear such as respirators, face shields and ceramic gloves to prevent accidents.
- Raku firing can produce open flames and sparks, which can be a fire risk if proper safety precautions are not taken. It is important to have fire extinguishers nearby and to conduct fire safety training for all team members involved in raku firing.
- Raku pottery is typically removed from the kiln while it is still hot and placed in a container with combustible materials, which can cause it to crack or break. When the piece breaks, it can produce very sharp shards or even explode. Great care must be taken during these times.
The Raku firing process is highly dependent on temperature and timing, and the results can be inconsistent from piece to piece. This is one of the joys of raku firing. Every piece is unique and has the potential to become a masterpiece. It is important to follow safety guidelines and to use proper protective gear when performing Raku firing to minimize these risks.
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