This collection is all about renewing an old Japanese firing technique, Raku. The process of making a Raku ceramics piece begins by taking white pottery out of the kiln at the highest temperature and putting it red-hot into sawdust, which starts to smoke and burn. Because of the temperature shock the glaze of the pottery starts to crackle and the smoke of the burning sawdust rises into these cracks, making them grey. The pattern that submerges is something that can not be controlled and is different every time.
Within this project, the Raku firing has been giving a second life by replacing the sawdust with other materials like cocoa powder, tea & honey, sweet potato and brown custerdsugar. These materials provide a different and special pattern each time. The old Japanese tea bowls have been given a new look by making them from casting clay and also taller, slimmer and egg-shaped.
The collection adresses the fact that in this modern world, we don't use the ancient ways of drinking tea anymore. People rarely sit down to enjoy their tea or take in the calming effects of tea anymore. I want to encourage people to enjoy tea again, sit back and relax.
The tea set is for sale, tea pots and bowls are also sold seperately and on order. Please contact me via e-mail.
