Raku & Alternative Firings

Saturday 21 March & Sunday 22 March, 9.30am-5pm

This is a one day workshop is for potters who already have bisque fired pottery made from a suitable clay for raku firing. You can choose either Saturday or Sunday. 

About the workshop

Join Potter Heather Gilbert for a raku firing which will include western style raku glaze firings, naked raku and horse hair and feather firings. The last firings on the day will be a form of saggar firing using a variety of materials, such as seaweed, banana skins, copper carbonate and wire, sawdust and salt to add colour to the work. These saggar pieces will be ready to collect the following week.

Students will gain the full experience and community spirit of a raku firing. This includes helping with the set up and take down of the raku kiln and all necessary equipment.

A limited amount of pottery can be fired during the workshop. We will do our best to take turns to fire a little of everyone’s work, and to fire as much as possible in the class time.

What to bring

The Raku is an all weather firing, so please dress in warm and old clothes made of natural fibres. Tea and coffee will be available at the Centre but all participants should bring a packed lunch and bottle of water.

About your tutor

Your tutor for this class is ceramicist Heather Gilbert. Heather studied Fine Art before pursuing her practice in ceramics, working to set up Collective studios for Artists , exhibiting her work, touring and teaching. Enthusiastic about alternative glazing and firing methods, Heather also teaches weekly pottery classes at the Centre in which students can also work in Ash Raf Hanna towards future Raku firings.