The Art of Raku
A Japanese technique of gas firing adds “fire magic” and unpredictability to these handmade fireplaces. Rapidly brought to 1000°C, the fireplaces are immediately removed from the kiln and plunged into wood shavings while still glowing. They are then doused with water while still at about 750°C, withstanding thermal shock many times more violent than will be incurred during everyday use. Raku is traditionally confined to the studio environment, only the special claybody makes raku possible on this scale. Earthfire, along with Hotart, manufacture the only such raku production items in the world!
The elemental nature of the raku process makes every pot as unique as a finger print. Our glazes are not colour pigments, they are metallic deposits caused by reduction (oxygen starvation during firing) of a metal oxide. Immersion in sawdust has the effect of even more unpredictable reduction as well as imprinting carbon in all the surface hairline crackle of the shock-cooled glaze.
The crackle is highly visible on the White Raku, Blue Raku and Cappuccino.
Crackle is also present on the other colours, but it is over- shadowed by the darker background.
The thermal shock resistance of the clay body used in our firepots lends itself to production raku or “fire magic”. Raku is a Japanese method of decoration that involves a second firing and cooling to produce an interesting crackle effect to the glaze. During this process the kiln is starved of oxygen to cause reduction – for example green copper oxide is reduced to red copper. Traditionally this is a very time-consuming process used only by studio potters.
However, our clay can be heated and cooled rapidly without cracking, enabling us to manufacture the world’s first production raku units. The firepots are produced in quantity, but the many variables involved in raku firing make each one unique – colour distribution and glaze crackle will never be exactly alike.
For even more evidence of the special properties of our clay, have a look at our latest video.
Rapid heating of the rim of a Pizza Stone right up to the glowing phase – this alone would cause any other ceramic to crack.
The glowing portion of the rim is then dipped halfway in water, creating a zone of intense thermal stress. It doesn’t even break a sweat!
The Pizza Stone is manufactured from the same clay as all out products – it is white because it is not glazed or treated in any way.
Wilderness
Headquarters
Wilderness
South Africa
+27 (0)21 715 3698
info@earthfire.co.za
Distributors
We Are Everywhere
Get in touch
Follow Us
Please do not hesitate to contact us if you should receive unsatisfactory service or need any further information on our products.