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Raku is a firing technique developed in Japan in the 16th century. Long viewed as a spiritual quest, it is also a demanding and challenging technique that yields beautiful and unique ceramic objects, embracing the spirit of the maker and the spirit of the fire.
The bisque-fired and glazed work is placed into a hot electric kiln and removed, while hot, after the glaze has melted. Originally the hot pieces were left in the air to cool. American practitioners added a post-firing reduction step. The hot clay work is placed in combustible material and it and the fire are covered with a lid, to produce an oxygen-deficient atmosphere (reduction). This reduction step produces the wonderful metallic lustres and inky blacks so recognizable in contemporary raku ceramics.
Mel's work is all hand-built of slab construction. His long experience in raku firing has included glaze development producing a full color spectrum unusual in raku work.
This color range, combined with the metallic lustres, produces remarkable imagery. Integrating his background in architecture, drawing, printing and ceramics with the raku-firing process, Mel's works are remarkable and distinctive.
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