A unique urn inspired by the stained glass windows of Frank Lloyd Wright. The brilliant colors that remind us of stained glass were created in a raku firing.
Raku is an ancient technique of firing clay. Unlike other glaze firings where the kiln is slowly brought up to temperature and then allowed to cool slowly, raku is fired very quickly, from room temperature to 1750 and back in about an hour. When the kiln has reached the correct temperature, it is opened, the red-hot pieces are removed with long tongs, placed in a pit lined with sawdust, then covered with a metal container lined with straw or newspaper. The combustibles use up the oxygen in the container, producing beautiful metallic colors. If you look closely at the photos, you will see some copper luster at the bottom of this vessel. The unglazed areas absorb carbon from the burning organic matter and turn black, creating the lines that resemble the lead in a stained glass window. If the metal container is lifted at the correct moment during cooling, oxygen is introduced to the environment and the glaze cools at a more rapid rate then the clay, creating a beautiful crackle pattern without the lustre. The crackle shows up well as the cracks absorb the carbon and turn black.
This urn is approximately 10" high, 7.5" wide, and 4.75" deep. It will hold at least 215 cubic inches.
Raku is an ancient technique of firing clay. Unlike other glaze firings where the kiln is slowly brought up to temperature and then allowed to cool slowly, raku is fired very quickly, from room temperature to 1750 and back in about an hour. When the kiln has reached the correct temperature, it is opened, the red-hot pieces are removed with long tongs, placed in a pit lined with sawdust, then covered with a metal container lined with straw or newspaper. The combustibles use up the oxygen in the container, producing beautiful metallic colors. If you look closely at the photos, you will see some copper luster at the bottom of this vessel. The unglazed areas absorb carbon from the burning organic matter and turn black, creating the lines that resemble the lead in a stained glass window. If the metal container is lifted at the correct moment during cooling, oxygen is introduced to the environment and the glaze cools at a more rapid rate then the clay, creating a beautiful crackle pattern without the lustre. The crackle shows up well as the cracks absorb the carbon and turn black.
This urn is approximately 10" high, 7.5" wide, and 4.75" deep. It will hold at least 215 cubic inches.