Hand Made Raku Pottery in the Modern Movement by Artist KDD

Raku pottery is a method of firing clay that dates back to early Japanese pottery.

This process was usually reserved for ceremonial tea sets.

When Westeners began experimenting with the process, they introduced reduction, where after the piece was retrieved from the kiln it was placed in a lidded container with sawdust, pine straw or some other flammable material.

Once the piece had reduced for five minutes or so, it was removed and plunged into cold water. This part of the process seemed to make colors vibrant. Most of the pieces on this page are black and white by design. After bisque firing the pieces the clay body was white to ivory in color. The longer the reduction period the more carbon the clay body absorbed.