Shaun Hall's Raku Ceramics Blogspot

I've decided  to put some sculptural work by, in order  to get ready and apply for some shows this summer. I've been busy with one or two raku firings and the results were as usual, a bit of a mixed bag. But here are one or two nice results at least which I can put aside.

My connection to Mo was as a student at Middlesex University in the dog days of the ceramics course during the 90's. He was my personal tutor for four years. Diminutive of stature and blinking in the funny way he did, we all came to love him as a tutor. Middlesex then,  had a reputation  for slip casting and mold making, and I was awful at both! Instead I had more of an interest in sculpture rather than functional tableware. Mo seemed to take an interest in my progress. He was very perceptive of individual students' abilities and offered guidance without ever dominating the discussion. He could be critical of course,  but in such a way that was constructive and not "dead ended."  At times he played down his reputation ,when we  first year students twigged what a great artist he really was. He simply claimed that he was a big fish in a small pond unlike his heroes - Giacometti or Modigliani. Modestly he said his income nearly all came from teachi...

Working in Raku doesn't always go to plan. A lapse of concentration here, the wrong temperature, too slow to get the pots in the smoking bins, dropping and cracking  pots, getting them stuck together in the kiln...anything and everything can and does go wrong. So it's tough when you get a pot that's ultimately flawed but not bad enough to merit being banished to the back garden by the fish pool rockery...or death by going under the hammer. Here are one or two ultimately flawed pots that I felt deserved a stay of execution. (I'm sorry the really bad ones are already under our patio...) This is the curse of Raku...so many pots get sacrificed...

I was just messing around with a firing and I pulled this solitary copper matte piece from the flames. It's a bit of a cracker! (Not literally...) Last of 2016....and it's on show for sale at Rippingham Art. See you in 2017. https://theartonlinegallery.com/art/raku-pisces-xiii/

Occasionally I get a batch of pots which don't work out. It's generally ok to re-fire and in most instances it actually can improve the surface of the pot. Warming the pot and then applying another coat of glaze can work wonders too, although take care not to rub off the dried glaze as this can happen quite easily. Worth a go...these are all re fried pots...

Chuffed to be included  in  the latest  Craft and Design Magazine's July - August edition. This features one of my recent  slab constructed Jugs and a wheel thrown two tone glazed Raku dish in the Makers section. WEB: http://www.craftanddesign.net/

For about the past 3 years I have been lucky enough to get selected for the annual EWAAC exhibition and awards. The EWAAC society  is primarily about  promoting  new talent and emerging artists in all mediums, and helps to foster artistic connections between the UK and Japan. This will probably be my last entry this year, as I feel I have been very lucky so far to get shortlisted 3 years running! Creatively I could also do with a bit of time and space to try out new directions too.  I felt it good to bow out on a high with this Raku Nuclear Jug piece- which is the sister piece to my Chelmsford Museum Jug. I am very fond of this piece- and it was a tremendous effort to get 2 large sized copper matte works  to fire successfully without breaking!  The exhibition is free to enter and takes place in London at La Galeria, Pall Mall during the last week of October.  For more info  http://www.ewaaward.com/artists/judges/view/3D-133028 ...