This one-of-a kind moon jar was wheel thrown from two pieces of clay and attached and shaped into a stately form. The process of firing was developed by Luke Iannuzzi a few years ago and is a combination of two "naked raku" techniques. The pot is first coated with a thick slip that dries and cracks to create an abstract check pattern. It is then fired to 1500F, removed from the kiln and placed in an airtight metal container filled with shredded newspaper where it will ignite and create a large volume of smoke. The smoke pentrates through the cracks in the slip and replicates the pattern in black on the pot. While still nearly 1000F the pot is removed from the container and chunks of slip are removed and various temperatures and sprayed with ferric chloride. The hotter the pot is, the darker the color response of the ferric chloride. Once cooled the pot is scrubbed and protected with a few coats of a clear acrylic spray.
It's a wild and exciting process!
14"x15.5" For Decorative Use Only