Brian has been working with clay for about 8 years and has been developing skills in the art of primitive firing techniques  including open beach firings with salty driftwood and seaweed. The salts and minerals in the organics imparts interesting colour patterns that are much more interesting than regular glaze coatings. Clay bodies used with these harsher types of firings need to be very strong to avoid cracking. An open body type clay either for raku work or pit fires should have a lot of grogged or solid bits of fired clay mixed into the clay body. Pit fired pottery and Raku tends to be porous as a result of the openness of the clay and therefore it is more for artful decoration than functional ware.

RAKU

SMOKE FIRED