Two Bears Plus One

This work, in a tryptic format features three colorful bears on equally colorful background panels.   The overall work is approximately 20” by 20” and was constructed by hand from an off-white earthenware clay body. The entire work was fired in the western raku firing technique.  This consists of each piece being bisque fired to cone 04 (1945 degrees F), then glazed with three coats of low temperature raku glazes.  After each piece was glazed, they were placed in a specially designed raku kiln and quickly brought up to cone 06 (1828 degrees).  Once at temperature, the kiln was turned off and opened.  The individual pieces were then taken out of the kiln and placed in reduction bins filled with newspaper shredding.  When the red-hot ceramic pieces touched the combustible shreds flames erupted. After a few seconds, lids were paced on the bins, effectively smothering the flames.  The result of this process of quickly heating the pieces, cooling the pieces, and then exposing them to the effects of the flames and smoke result in uniquely spontaneous impacts to the surface of the ceramic pieces.