Raku firing....how it all went down

These four are my very first pieces that I've created!

It was a perfect day for my very first raku firing with Wyman. Raku is a form of Japanese pottery. You remove the piece from the kiln while its literally glowing hot. The pieces are at such a beautiful stage here. They look almost translucent. Then they cool for just a moment (we actually fanned them for just about a minute), then they're placed in a "reduction chamber" with shredded paper where they catch fire, but only for a moment. This was the most fascinating and exciting thing I've done in a while. There really is nothing quite like creating something entirely from clay, seeing it take on this beautiful form that you sculpted with your own hands, and sticking it in a burning hot oven (or kiln) of 1800 degrees and patiently waiting to see the end result. This firing process is known for its unpredictability, and I love the whole mystery part. And I learned today that raku is the traditional method for creating bowls for Japanese tea ceremonies. How cool is that?! Here are some pics of the process.