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The Newsletter for Raku Artists and Raku Art Lovers In This Issue ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Welcome to another issue of Just Raku. I want to thank everyone for the wonderful responses I received in regards to the "Reader Feedback" section of the last issue. You all pretty much responded with what I really wanted to say, so I figure I was not far off on my feelings. I won't be publishing this feedback in the Just Raku newsletter, but I did want to thank each of you for your responses and for letting me know it is ok to keep doing what I'm doing. As always, I look forward to your feedback, suggestions, questions, and
article ideas at: Gary R. Ferguson ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ * From the Studio * Well this is the month for NCECA in Baltimore, but I'll be home unfortunately. If you are lucky enough to be attending, check out the Axner booth while you are there. Axner pottery has started carrying my books and they should have copies of both of them (Raku Glazes and Raku Secrets) available at NCECA. If you are unable to attend, but would like a printed-paper version,
they can be ordered at: NCECA next year is in Portland, OR - my neck of the woods so there is a good chance I'll be able to attend next year. ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ * Article * Overcoming Artist Block (Part I) How many times does an artist stare down at that blank piece of paper thinking "What on earth do I paint - Where do I put my first mark?" More often than you would imagine! It happens to all creative people actually, from visual artists, designers, poets, through to musicians and writers. When this situation arises, you are in the grip of creative block. When you wrack your brains to come up with ideas but just can't seem to. There may be contributing factors to this state, such as tiredness, depression, environmental, physiological or psychological issues. On the other hand you could just be experiencing a period of simple low creativity. When this happens there are a few things you can do to restore your creativity levels at will, however what you must not do is worry or fret about it. If the worst comes to the worse and you don't seem to be able to produce any work, simply regard the period as a 'holiday' or a rest. Your creativity level WILL rise again. In the meantime, utilize the time spent not creating to do positive things anyway. Research other artists' work. Visit galleries or surf the net and see what other people are doing. Join artists' chat rooms or visit message boards or forums where you can exchange ideas and views with other artists. Just talking to other creative people can give you a real buzz! You might even make some new friends in the process. Spend the time you are not actually producing art, by increasing your marketing efforts. Send postcards to galleries; research upcoming local art fairs or events where you could possibly take a booth to sell your art. Have some leaflets or brochures printed up all about yourself and your work. Take a couple of days out of your schedule and do a local neighborhood leaflet drop. Update your website or online portfolio. You may think it's already perfect but it's not often that things can't be improved or sharpened in some way. Update your artist's statement; put new 'zing' into your descriptions. If you really can't face doing anything concerning your own artwork, visit the theatre, go to a pop concert, and browse local museums. Go to a restaurant or coffee bar with friends and have a (non art related) natter. Use the time to take a complete break, if this is what works best for
you. You will instinctively know when the time is right to 'go back' to
your art. When this happens there are lots of techniques you can use to
get back into the swing of high creativity. These I explore in my article
'Overcoming Artist's Block (part 2)'. ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ * Tips and Techniques * Can I use a roofing torch to fire my Raku kiln? * Q & A * Q: Have you had any experience with bisque firing in a Raku kiln? Instead of having to wait until you have enough to fill an ordinary kiln and then having to wait for the kiln to heat up and to cool down before you can get your bisqued ware, it would be great to just bisque fire small portions fast in a little Raku kiln. I know this can be done but what do you recommend regarding temperature and for how long should you keep the temperature on top? A: You could Bisque fire in a Raku kiln, but I think you would want to follow the firing speed and temperatures that closely match a regular bisque firing. Greenware is very fragile and there is always more water that has to be burned off during a bisque firing, so you would need to be very careful for the greenware to survive. The stress of a Raku firing is tough enough on bisqued pieces let alone greenware. But, I would assume there are types of pieces you could do this with - small, even, thin walled pieces, that are very dry could be a candidate, but I would not attempt it with larger, thick walled pieces. This is why once-fired Raku is not very popular. ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ * Glazing * Occasionally there is a mention of in-kiln reduction during True, not all glazes will react drastically different with kiln reduction versus post-kiln reduction, but there are some differences, and exceptions. In-kiln reduction could potentially be much stronger and have a different result on copper based glazes, especially when layered. For example, one technique to get "Red" is to layer copper carbonate between layers of clear crackle and then fire in heavy reduction. The kiln reduction is supposed to help "draw" the red from the copper through the layer of clear crackle. A deeper reduction so to speak. Where as with just post-kiln reduction, you normally get surface level reduction and are more like get copper colors instead of red. I've never achieved a really good Red using this technique yet (only tried it once or twice), but it is supposed to work. For most types of specialty chemicals, I'd give US Pigment Corp www.uspigment.com a try. ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ * Reader Feedback * Hi Gary, I love receiving these e-mails. Thank you in advance for your assistance and your devoted work for all
us ~ ~ ~ Actually I have not had a Naked Raku issue yet, but I'm sure there will be one in the near future. Thanks, * * * * * * * * * Hi Gary, ~ ~ ~ Hi Sheron: I personally use a Cone 10 stoneware clay for most of my Raku work. Thanks, * * * * * * * * * Dear Gary, First, I have done many Raku glaze samples and would rather not get any more ingredients than I already have so of all the white or clear glaze recipes in your book, is there one that you would say fires more matt than the others? I do not like shiny. Second, you talk a bit about salt (pg 116) being introduced near the end of the firing. I am not wild about putting salt in my nice new Raku kiln. Have you or anyone put it in the reduction chamber or soaked the combustible material in salt? I am going to give it a try, but would like to hear from others. Thanks again for your excellent newsletter. ~ ~ ~ Hi Pam: I'm not sure how the salt soaked reduction materials would work. It might not be hot enough, long enough to actually fume the pieces, but I would love to hear how it works out. I have not tried to actually fire a matte white before, but I do know several of the clear and white glazes when slightly under fired will be matte (discovered this by accident of course). Give that a try. Thanks, * * * * * * * * * Dear Gary: ~ ~ ~ Hi Diane: Good Luck! * * * * * * * * * Hi Gary, ~ ~ ~ Tim: Check out the following back issue: Thanks and Good Luck! * * * * * * * * * Gary: ~ ~ ~ Kent: * * * * * * * * * ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ * Click Away * My eBay Listings http://tinyurl.com/tn08 ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ * Workshops, Ads, etc. * LINDA & CHARLIE RIGGS For more details and some general saggar firing tips and techniques, check out my blog at: http://tinyurl.com/68wvs or http://justraku.blogspot.com/2005/01/saggar-workshop-in-arizona.html ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ This newsletter is send to opt-in members only. If this issue was forwarded to you and you would like your own copy each month send an email to subscribe@garyrferguson.com with SUBSCRIBE in the subject line. If you wish to no longer receive this newsletter send an email to unsubscribe@garyrferguson.com with UNSUBSCRIBE in the subject line. Disclaimer: Just Raku, the owner(s) and representative(s) of this
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