Mica Clay Smoked Fired Vessels

These wheel-thrown mica clay vessels are unglazed and raku fired.

To achieve the smoky look, the vessels are placed in a gas kiln and brought up to up to 1400°F. The glowing, red-hot vessels are removed and placed in a metal can filled with sawdust and covered. The sawdust ignites and burns, leaving various patterns on the vessels. The serendipitous nature of the process creates colors including salmon, terra cotta, brown, and black.

The lids are of two types — fabricated handles on patinated etched lids, or cast bronze branch handles on patinated lids.

TALL-VESSEL-WITH-GRASSES

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SPACESHIP-WITH-LEAF-AND-VINE

LOW-OPEN-WITH-LEAF-AND-VINE

GOURD-WITH-WANDERING-VINE

VESSEL-WITH-AMPHORAS

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All images and text © Carol Green Studio, 2018