Saturday, April 26, Ceramics III Honors and AICE Art & Design students were invited to participate in Raku Firing at the Indian River Clay Studio (IRCS) in Vero Beach. At 9am, the heat was turned on, and the outdoor Raku kiln was warming up. Students received a tour of the kiln room, clay and glazes preparation area, studio space, and workshop. Students premade their artwork at FPC’s ceramics studio, did a bisque fire, and coated their artwork with specialized Raku glazes.
Raku firing is a partially primitive firing technique done with a gas kiln wherein artwork is removed from the kiln at peak temperature and placed into a fire barrel or can with combustibles. In this post-kiln fire box, the glazes and surface treatments are designed to be enhanced by the smoke as the wares continue to smolder and burn in newspaper, hay, straw, and wood chips. The results are unmistakably glossy or matte metallic or even a contrasting earthy appearance with copper, iron, horsehair, or feather motifs as alternative surface treatments. Artist educator, FPC ceramics instructor, and Raku veteran Katie Avra is proud to offer experiences like this that cement life-long learning and a love of the arts. Students learn through the physicality of performing all the processes of art making while gaining functional knowledge of chemistry, thermodynamics, and ceramics. Juniors Valeria Moreno-Adame and Suleima Belmontes-Zamora as well as seniors Brionna Williams and Mia Iken participated. A special congratulations to FPC senior Mia Iken who interned at the IRCS and is attending Savannah College of Art & Design in the fall.
