Raku Taster Workshop

Today I attended a Raku taster workshop just this side of Gainsborough with Laura Lee.

She has a lovely studio in gorgeous grounds.

Inside the studio, Laura giving us some instruction for the different pots.

First we used the oxides and then did a double dip in the glaze.

Then we wondered down to the firing area and put them all inside a make shift kiln.

We then came back up to the studio to prepare the next two whilst the first one was frying as well as a plain pot for everyone.

Laura all kitted up in her fireproof PPE taking the oxided pots out of the kiln.

One of the guys added straw and a bit of sugar to the bucket whilst the other one wafted to get a fire going.

 Then they put the lid on to seal it.

Then the double dipped drippy ones went in the kiln.  And the plain ones came out of the other kiln.

Whilst the pots were still extremely hot we were invited to press all sorts onto them to create different patterns on them. There were all sorts of different combustables, feathers, horse hair, leaves, other plant parts, lavender, grasses and animal hair.

Then it was lunchtime and we all got our own little box of goodies and were invited to go and investigate the gardens and the moat and have a picnic.  I went and sat under a shaded tree as it was extremely hot, around 28 degrees!!

After lunch the last two pots were taken out of the kiln and this time covered in sawdust, but this is a special wood sawdust that brings out the gold in the oxides and glazes. I took part in this one and was in charge of the dustbin lid!!!  Wafting to get a fire and smoke and then starving it by covering the edges of the lid in the sawdust.

We then all got a spray bottle and as Laura took the lid off we all sprayed the pots to cool them down.

And the same again for the second lot from the sawdust.

And again, we sprayed them to cool them down. Once they were all cooled down we washed the smoke and debris off and also used a wire brush to get them cleanish.

I took a photo of them on the grass when I got home.

This is my favourite one and all I used was Bailey and Dillons fur.

Mosaic Dragonfly

 

I wanted to make a mosaic dragonfly and I finally found someone pretty close to do so.

I wanted to do yellow, orange, brown and red, but unfortunately there wasn't any glittery gold left, so I went with green instead.

I used the tile cutters to cut my own shapes, which is a law unto itself, they pinged everywhere and you don't really have much control over the shapes created!!

Her (Caron) studio was full of all sorts of inspiration.

Glass works and 

Mosaics. The plate on the right is the colours I wanted to use.

I was sent home with a little grouting parcel and given a demo whilst I was there of how and what to do.

It turned out okay, but there are a few rooky gaps and it could have been a bit smoother.

And then I hung it in the trees.  But before it can go outside, I need to paint the back and give the whole thing a coat of varnish.

The Art of the Riff

 

    

Canada 2026 - Scrapbook Pages

 

Industrial Rust Erosion - Box

One of the boxes that I picked up whilst on my recent holiday. It's approx 6" x 4" x ".5" and has a clasp closing. 

Decorated the lid with parts from my old laptop and a piece of Meccano.

I then started to build up a composition using resin shapes.

And once I'd got the base layer down I started to build it up.

Gave all the resin pieces a coat of black gesso.

Added texture paste, rust powder, rust effect liquids and acrylic paints to create the rust effect.

Close up of the circuit board and spark plug.

And another one of the Meccano part at the side.