A piece of raku ware is more than just a piece of pottery. The pottery classes at Riverside City College in 1968  included (and probably still do) instruction in the making and firing of raku pottery. The pieces produced by each student accumulated over a period of time, and were carefully set aside. When the pieces were judged ready to be subjected to the rigors of the kiln, the focus shifted from  individual effort to communal celebration. A raku “firing” is a relatively short process, and one in which the artist is much more actively engaged than for other forms of pottery. The setting is almost like that of a bonfire, and like a bonfire, the atmosphere is both mystical and festive. It becomes the occasion of a party.

Raku: what goes into the pot

I remember a Raku party we art students once had at Riverside City College back in 1968. I made four pots. Two pots blew up in the kiln … two made it out. One really nice orange pot made it. It was fun. I loved going to the RCC art dept. at night. There was an atmosphere about it that I can’t explain. Very romantic … especially on warm nights. Always some students hanging out … firing pots … mixing clay … cleaning up the kilns and the pour spaces. Usually someone brought in a gallon of wine … almost always Red Mountain. There was a lot of laughter, and a lot of chit chat. The warmth of the night air mixed with the heat coming from the kiln. Made us all sweat and glisten in the outdoor lights. Kind of surreal really. Sort of a Mardi Gras atmosphere only with “products” being turned out on the side. Pots and sculptures that would sit on art students pine board and brick bookcases … looking really cool … serving no useful purpose … gathering dust … up to this very day.