Bay  River  Pottery

Candace Young Norm Czuchra

Welcome to the Raku Gallery Click on image to see a full screen version; use Back to return. Raku is a centuries old Japanese tradition of making pottery.  Raku means pleasure, happiness, contentment, and enjoyment.  Each raku pot is handled individually throughout the process from raw clay to the finished pot, allowing a more intimate involvement with each vessel. For the contemporary potter the glaze firing is the most exciting and dramatic phase of the Raku experience.  The firing time is short, forty minutes to an  hour, compared to 11 to 18 hours for a high fired stoneware cycle.  The interior of the kiln is watched during the firing until the glaze is melted to roughly 1800 degrees.  At that point the kiln is shut off and the red hot pottery, with molten glaze, is removed from the kiln with special gloves and tongs. I t is immediately placed in a bed of straw, newspaper, or other combustible material and allowed to smolder in an oxygen free atmosphere.   This makes the clay body turn a rich black and glazes with metallic colorants turn to metallic luster in the smoky atmosphere.   During this period the glaze cools faster than the clay body and crackles and cracks occur.  The piece is then picked up with tongs and quenched in water to prevent further oxidation. While westerners might summarily dismiss cracks in fine work as flaws, Japanese potters often consider cracks for their aesthetic value as linear elements of the total composition.   As such, most contemporary Raku pottery is non-functional and prized as decorative pieces.  The Raku process subjects the clay to tremendous stress, from heating to cooling, and consequently the finished piece is fragile and should be handled as fine glass.    Treasure Boxes These Treasure Boxes are about 4" X 5", and are for small treasures; precious earrings, beach glass from your favorite adventure, or whartever token needs a special home.  Each box is fired to 1800 deg. and manipulated in flame and smoke to acheive the effects inherent in raku pottery. The knobs are fashioned from copper mesh, wire, bone, glass, crystals or clay sculptures.  Click on image to enlarge.  Press BUY button to purchase. Treasure Box with Copper Dragon Fly TB01 Sold, orders taken. Treasure Box with Copper mesh design TB02 $65 sold Treasure Box with Copper mesh design TB03 $65 sold Treasure Box with Copper mesh design TB04 $65 sold Call or send email for photos of current treasure boxes.   WARNING:  Do not handle raku by picking it up by the rim.  Always use two hands to pick up a piece.  Raku is porous and will not hold water.  If you must use a piece for fresh flowers, simply put a smaller glass bowl inside the raku piece with a felt or cork pads between the two to prevent scratching the glaze. © 1999-2006 Bay River Pottery - Norm Czuchra - All Rights Reserved P.O. Box 394, Bayboro, NC 28515, (252) 745-4749