jemuzu on fri 2 mar 12
My understanding was that raku (Japanese or American-style) was always low-=
=3D
fired so that the clay body remains open/porous to (1) help the clay deal w=
=3D
ith thermal shock, particularly when removed from a hot kiln (and quenched =
=3D
in water in some cases), (2), in the case of tea bowls, to insulate and all=
=3D
ow the user to comfortably hold a bowl of hot tea in his/her hands, and (3)=
=3D
probably something else I can't think of.=3D0A=3D0ABut I just read a=3DA0P=
aul So=3D
ldner essay titled "American-Style Raku," where he wrote that Japanese blac=
=3D
k raku is actually high fired, not low fired:=3D0A=3D0A"Black raku is obtai=
ned =3D
with a special pulverized-rock glaze, which probably has a high concentrati=
=3D
on of metal oxides such as iron, copper, and manganese. Like our stoneware,=
=3D
it is fired slowly at a high temperature (approximately 2,300 degrees Fahr=
=3D
enheit) and then cooled slowly."=3D0A=3D0A=3D0Ahttp://www.paulsoldner.com/e=
ssays/=3D
American_Raku.html=3D0A=3D0A=3D0ASo now I'm confused. Is the clay used stil=
l not =3D
vitrified at that temperature? Seems like vitrification would/could defeat =
=3D
the clay in terms of thermal shock, and its needed porosity to insulate the=
=3D
drinker's hands against the hot tea. I have two Japanese-made black raku t=
=3D
ea bowls and they both, when tapped with a fingernail, clunk rather than pi=
=3D
ng -- certainly never heard this sound from anything I've high fired.=3D0A=
=3D0A=3D
Does anyone have any insight on this?=3D0A=3D0AThanks,=3D0A=3D0AJames
Ben Morrison on sat 3 mar 12
Maybe it's just a myth, but I've read this in several books. He=3D
Vince,=3D0A=3D0AMaybe it's just a myth, but I've read this in several books=
. He=3D
re is a link to a site which has the same ideas printed to what I said. I'v=
=3D
e also seen videos of Koreans doing this process, which they claim was pass=
=3D
ed down to them as tradition.=3D0A=3D0Ahttp://www.buchananartcenter.org/id2=
3.ht=3D
ml=3DA0=3D0A=3D0A=3D0A-Ben=3D0A=3D0A=3D0A________________________________=
=3D0A From: Vince =3D
Pitelka =3D0ATo: Clayart@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG =3D0ASent: S=
atur=3D
day, March 3, 2012 7:10 PM=3D0ASubject: Re: Japanese Black Raku - High fire=
d?=3D
??=3D0A =3D0ABen Morrison wrote:=3D0A"From what I've read the traditional f=
orm of=3D
Raku from Korea is a high fired=3D0Amethod. Often the tea bowls would be p=
lu=3D
cked from a hot wood kiln at or near=3D0Apeak temperature from just around =
th=3D
e fire box area. These were often left=3D0Ato cool at the outside temperatu=
re=3D
in oxidation."=3D0A=3D0AHi Ben -=3D0AThe above is a little confusing.=3DA0=
No one =3D
in Korea made Raku pots. There was=3D0Ano tradition of Raku in Korea, becau=
se=3D
it is a thoroughly Japanese=3D0Atradition.=3DA0 The technique you describe=
in =3D
your post is the Japanese Setoguro=3D0Atechnique.=3DA0 They may have done s=
omet=3D
hing similar in Korea, but again, it has=3D0Anothing to do with Raku other =
th=3D
an the fact that the wares from both were=3D0Aused in the tea ceremony.=3D0=
A=3D0A=3D
It would seem that the Setoguro teabowls were prized, but they certainly=3D=
0A=3D
would not provide the same insulating value as the porous, lower-fired Raku=
=3D
=3D0Ateabowls.=3DA0 Needless to say, there were plenty of other high-fired =
teab=3D
owls=3D0Aused in the tea ceremony, so it does seem a subtle difference. The=
R=3D
aku=3D0Ateabowls were appreciated for their insulating qualities, while den=
se=3D
,=3D0Ahigh-fired ware from the big noborigama and anagama were celebrated f=
or=3D
=3D0Aother reasons.=3D0A- Vince=3D0A=3D0AVince Pitelka=3D0AAppalachian Cent=
er for Cra=3D
ft=3D0ATennessee Tech University=3D0Avpitelka@dtccom.net=3D0Ahttp://iweb.tn=
tech.e=3D
du/wpitelka/
Lee on sat 3 mar 12
On Sat, Mar 3, 2012 at 1:36 AM, jemuzu wrote:
> "Black raku is obtained with a special pulverized-rock glaze, which proba=
=3D
bly has a high concentration of metal oxides such as iron, copper, and mang=
=3D
anese. Like our stoneware, it is fired slowly at a high temperature (approx=
=3D
imately 2,300 degrees Fahrenheit) and then cooled slowly."
Not exactly Raku, but was inspired by it. It is amazing how we
bastarize traditional craft from non-English speaking countries. We
typically transform methods and techniques into something totally new.
Which is okay, but if you are going to interact with craftsmen of the
technique's origin, you need to educate yourself.
It is Seto Guro or Hikidashi. A Mashiko friend of mine
specializes in it, Doug Black. Read more below. Also, search
archives for hikidashi and seto guro:
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=3D3D100000013730203
http://www.unm.edu/~ceschiat/hikidashi.htm
http://www.unm.edu/~ceschiat/DBinterview.htm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3D3Dm7snuX2RWYU
http://www.flickr.com/photos/claycraft/92958653/
http://albedo3studio.blogspot.com/2011/12/hikidashi.html
--
=3DA0Lee Love in Minneapolis
http://mingeisota.blogspot.com/
=3DA0"Ta tIr na n-=3DF3g ar chul an tI=3D97tIr dlainn trina ch=3DE9ile"=3D9=
7that is, =3D
"The
land of eternal youth is behind the house, a beautiful land fluent
within itself." -- John O'Donohue
Ben Morrison on sat 3 mar 12
From what I've read the traditional form of Raku from Korea is a high fired=
=3D
method. Often the tea bowls would be plucked from a hot wood kiln at or ne=
=3D
ar peak temperature from just around the fire box area. These were often le=
=3D
ft to cool at the outside temperature in oxidation. These were functional b=
=3D
ecause they were vitrified and were glazed with what they thought were safe=
=3D
glazes. Many commercial american clays will not respond well to being pluc=
=3D
ked out of the kiln and laid on a brick to cool quickly. I've seen this pro=
=3D
cess done on youtube many times. They were often pulling these pots from th=
=3D
e firebox of the wood kiln early on in the firing before they got melted. M=
=3D
any times I've seen these be crusty from ash and sometimes minor cracks. I'=
=3D
ve seen many traditional Japanese and Korean tea bowls fired this way that =
=3D
were glazed black or white with ash drips and crustiness.=3D0A=3D0A-Ben=3D0=
A=3D0A=3D
=3D0A________________________________=3D0A From: jemuzu =
=3D0ATo=3D
: Clayart@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG =3D0ASent: Friday, March 2, 2012 11:36 PM=3D0ASu=
bjec=3D
t: Japanese Black Raku - High fired???=3D0A =3D0AMy understanding was that =
raku=3D
(Japanese or American-style) was always low-fired so that the clay body re=
=3D
mains open/porous to (1) help the clay deal with thermal shock, particularl=
=3D
y when removed from a hot kiln (and quenched in water in some cases), (2), =
=3D
in the case of tea bowls, to insulate and allow the user to comfortably hol=
=3D
d a bowl of hot tea in his/her hands, and (3) probably something else I can=
=3D
't think of.=3D0A=3D0ABut I just read a=3DA0Paul Soldner essay titled "Amer=
ican-S=3D
tyle Raku," where he wrote that Japanese black raku is actually high fired,=
=3D
not low fired:=3D0A=3D0A"Black raku is obtained with a special pulverized-=
rock=3D
glaze, which probably has a high concentration of metal oxides such as iro=
=3D
n, copper, and manganese. Like our stoneware, it is fired slowly at a high =
=3D
temperature (approximately 2,300 degrees Fahrenheit) and then cooled slowly=
=3D
."=3D0A=3D0A=3D0Ahttp://www.paulsoldner.com/essays/American_Raku.html=3D0A=
=3D0A=3D0ASo =3D
now I'm confused. Is the clay used still not vitrified at that temperature?=
=3D
Seems like vitrification would/could defeat the clay in terms of thermal s=
=3D
hock, and its needed porosity to insulate the drinker's hands against the h=
=3D
ot tea. I have two Japanese-made black raku tea bowls and they both, when t=
=3D
apped with a fingernail, clunk rather than ping -- certainly never heard th=
=3D
is sound from anything I've high fired.=3D0A=3D0ADoes anyone have any insig=
ht o=3D
n this?=3D0A=3D0AThanks,=3D0A=3D0AJames
Steve Mills on sat 3 mar 12
According to information I searched out some years back when I was "into"
the Raku process, the original Black Raku used a high Iron/Manganese
Mudstone which was to be found in the main (Kano) river in Kyoto. Needless
to say that got used up a Loooooooooong time ago.
The sources I had access to stated that it was fired to around 1200oC and
slow cooled.
Steve M
On 3 March 2012 16:57, Lee wrote:
> On Sat, Mar 3, 2012 at 1:36 AM, jemuzu wrote:
>
> > "Black raku is obtained with a special pulverized-rock glaze, which
> probably has a high concentration of metal oxides such as iron, copper, a=
=3D
nd
> manganese. Like our stoneware, it is fired slowly at a high temperature
> (approximately 2,300 degrees Fahrenheit) and then cooled slowly."
>
> Not exactly Raku, but was inspired by it. It is amazing how we
> bastarize traditional craft from non-English speaking countries. We
> typically transform methods and techniques into something totally new.
> Which is okay, but if you are going to interact with craftsmen of the
> technique's origin, you need to educate yourself.
>
> It is Seto Guro or Hikidashi. A Mashiko friend of mine
> specializes in it, Doug Black. Read more below. Also, search
> archives for hikidashi and seto guro:
>
> https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=3D3D100000013730203
> http://www.unm.edu/~ceschiat/hikidashi.htm
> http://www.unm.edu/~ceschiat/DBinterview.htm
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3D3Dm7snuX2RWYU
> http://www.flickr.com/photos/claycraft/92958653/
> http://albedo3studio.blogspot.com/2011/12/hikidashi.html
>
> --
> Lee Love in Minneapolis
> http://mingeisota.blogspot.com/
>
> "Ta tIr na n-=3DF3g ar chul an tI=3D97tIr dlainn trina ch=3DE9ile"=3D97t=
hat is, =3D
"The
> land of eternal youth is behind the house, a beautiful land fluent
> within itself." -- John O'Donohue
>
Vince Pitelka on sat 3 mar 12
Ben Morrison wrote:
"From what I've read the traditional form of Raku from Korea is a high fire=
d
method. Often the tea bowls would be plucked from a hot wood kiln at or nea=
r
peak temperature from just around the fire box area. These were often left
to cool at the outside temperature in oxidation."
Hi Ben -
The above is a little confusing. No one in Korea made Raku pots. There was
no tradition of Raku in Korea, because it is a thoroughly Japanese
tradition. The technique you describe in your post is the Japanese Setogur=
o
technique. They may have done something similar in Korea, but again, it ha=
s
nothing to do with Raku other than the fact that the wares from both were
used in the tea ceremony.
It would seem that the Setoguro teabowls were prized, but they certainly
would not provide the same insulating value as the porous, lower-fired Raku
teabowls. Needless to say, there were plenty of other high-fired teabowls
used in the tea ceremony, so it does seem a subtle difference. The Raku
teabowls were appreciated for their insulating qualities, while dense,
high-fired ware from the big noborigama and anagama were celebrated for
other reasons.
- Vince
Vince Pitelka
Appalachian Center for Craft
Tennessee Tech University
vpitelka@dtccom.net
http://iweb.tntech.edu/wpitelka/
Lee on sun 4 mar 12
On Sat, Mar 3, 2012 at 10:01 PM, Ben Morrison wrote:
> Maybe it's just a myth, but I've read this in several books.
You might not be wrong Ben.
Mogusa clay, the same clay used with Shino pots, was also used with
the black pots. Mogusa is highly refractory, giving the higher fired
bowls a soft sound with the tea whisk like what Raku makes. I think the
shino is more open, but the whole point of using mogusa clay is for its
raku like qualities at high fire temps. Read about it here (I am visiting
Japan and the Seto/'Mino area next month):
"Generally speaking, teacups that only have black glaze applied are called
Oribeguro, while Kuro-Oribe have added tetsu-e design to the black glaze.
Just like Shino Ware, the pottery uses white-colored clay of mogusa earth
which is somewhat more tightly packed than Shino. However, it incorporates
red clay and adds hakudei (white mud) tetsu-e design. Then, it is patched
together with red and white clays; glaze is applied onto the white clay
portion while a narumide pattern is applied onto the red clay portion via
tetsu-e."
Found here:
http://www.explorejapaneseceramics.com/basic/towns/mino/mino.html
--
Lee Love in Minneapolis
http://mingeisota.blogspot.com/
"Ta tIr na n-=3DF3g ar chul an tI=3D97tIr dlainn trina ch=3DE9ile"=3D97tha=
t is, "T=3D
he land
of eternal youth is behind the house, a beautiful land fluent within
itself." -- John O'Donohue
Vince Pitelka on sun 4 mar 12
Ben Morrison wrote:
"Maybe it's just a myth, but I've read this in several books. Here is a lin=
k
to a site which has the same ideas printed to what I said. I've also seen
videos of Koreans doing this process, which they claim was passed down to
them as tradition.
http://www.buchananartcenter.org/id23.html"
Ben -
I am not sure what the question is. The link you provided for the Buchanan
Art Center includes a description of standard "American Raku" process. The=
y
refer to "traditional Korean and Japanese Raku," but there is no such thing
as traditional Korean Raku. Korean potters never practiced anything like
the traditional Japanese Raku process, and there is no connection between
Japanese Raku and Korean tradition beyond the general connections that exis=
t
through much of East Asian ceramics. Are you referring to the Raku process=
,
or the Setoguro process, where ware is pulled from the high-fire wood kiln
at maximum temperature? If it is the former, then any videos or written
information about a process similar to Raku being practiced in Korea would
be a current-day imitation of the Raku process, rather than anything based
on Korean tradition. It makes perfect sense that there are contemporary
potters in Korea who have taken up the Japanese Raku process or even the
American Raku process, and are trying to claim some sort of traditional
Korean connection. In the collection of contemporary Japanese ceramics at
the St. Louis Museum of Art there is a Raku jar that was subjected to an
American-style post-firing smoking, and the museum information does not say
anything about the American Raku process. Seems to have travelled
full-circle.
Please understand that I am not trying to sound like I have the definitive
answers about this subject, but my son Morgan knows as much about this as
anyone in the Western world, and the information I am providing comes from
him. If you find more information about this I'd love to hear about it and
will pass it on to Morgan.
- Vince
Vince Pitelka
Appalachian Center for Craft
Tennessee Tech University
vpitelka@dtccom.net
http://iweb.tntech.edu/wpitelka/
Ben Morrison on sun 4 mar 12
Apparently there is a point of contention between the Japanese =3D
Vince,=3D0A=3D0AApparently there is a point of contention between the Japan=
ese =3D
and the Koreans about who actually invented Raku tradition. Some say it was=
=3D
done by Korean potters under Japanese Occupation. Or maybe that is just an=
=3D
other story as well. At any rate below is another iteration of the story I =
=3D
have read many times. You'll find it under Raku History which tells who mig=
=3D
ht be credited with originating Raku. It's not a definitive answer because =
=3D
of the Japanese Occupation of Korea at the time Raku was originated. Maybe =
=3D
it's just my imagination, but I recall reading that the tradition of pullin=
=3D
g pots out of the stoke holes in the firebox eventually turned into modern =
=3D
day Raku. It's fairly easy to see how this happened. It doesn't really matt=
=3D
er who started it though really, the point is that there are different tech=
=3D
niques dating back hundreds of years that we still practice today. One is v=
=3D
itrified and one is not.=3D0A=3D0Ahttp://books.google.com/books?id=3D3Dlawx=
TE00QA=3D
4C&pg=3D3DPA12&dq=3D3DKorean+Raku&hl=3D3Den&sa=3D3DX&ei=3D3DWupTT-P_C9DMiQK=
M9pm0Bg&ve=3D
d=3D3D0CDwQ6AEwAQ#v=3D3Donepage&q=3D3DKorean%20Raku&f=3D3Dfalse=3DC2=3DA0=
=3D0A=3D0A=3D0A_____=3D
___________________________=3D0A From: Vince Pitelka =
=3D0A=3D
To: 'Ben Morrison' ; Clayart@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG =3D0ASen=
t:=3D
Sunday, March 4, 2012 11:32 AM=3D0ASubject: RE: Japanese Black Raku - High=
f=3D
ired???=3D0A =3D0A=3D0ABen Morrison wrote:=3D0A=3DE2=3D80=3D9CMaybe it's ju=
st a myth, but=3D
I've read this in several books. Here is a link to a site which has the sa=
=3D
me ideas printed to what I said. I've also seen videos of Koreans doing thi=
=3D
s process, which they claim was passed down to them as tradition.=3D0Ahttp:=
//=3D
www.buchananartcenter.org/id23.html=3DE2=3D80=3D9D=3D0A=3DC2=3DA0=3D0ABen =
=3DE2=3D80=3D93 =3D0AI =3D
am not sure what the question is.=3DC2=3DA0 The link you provided for the B=
ucha=3D
nan Art Center includes a description of standard =3DE2=3D80=3D9CAmerican R=
aku=3DE2=3D
=3D80=3D9D process.=3DC2=3DA0 They refer to =3DE2=3D80=3D9Ctraditional Kore=
an and Japanes=3D
e Raku,=3DE2=3D80=3D9D but there is no such thing as traditional Korean Rak=
u.=3DC2=3D
=3DA0 Korean potters never practiced anything like the traditional Japanese=
R=3D
aku process, and there is no connection between Japanese Raku and Korean tr=
=3D
adition beyond the general connections that exist through much of East Asia=
=3D
n ceramics.=3DC2=3DA0 Are you referring to the Raku process, or the Setogur=
o pr=3D
ocess, where ware is pulled from the high-fire wood kiln at maximum tempera=
=3D
ture?=3DC2=3DA0 If it is the former, then any videos or written information=
abo=3D
ut a process similar to Raku being practiced in Korea would be a current-da=
=3D
y imitation of the Raku process, rather than anything based on Korean tradi=
=3D
tion.=3DC2=3DA0 It makes perfect sense that there are contemporary potters =
in K=3D
orea who have taken up the Japanese Raku
process or even the American Raku process, and are trying to claim some so=
=3D
rt of traditional Korean connection.=3DC2=3DA0 In the collection of contemp=
orar=3D
y Japanese ceramics at the St. Louis Museum of Art there is a Raku jar that=
=3D
was subjected to an American-style post-firing smoking, and the museum inf=
=3D
ormation does not say anything about the American Raku process.=3DC2=3DA0 S=
eems=3D
to have travelled full-circle.=3DC2=3DA0 =3D0A=3DC2=3DA0=3D0APlease unders=
tand that I =3D
am not trying to sound like I have the definitive answers about this subjec=
=3D
t, but my son Morgan knows as much about this as anyone in the Western worl=
=3D
d, and the information I am providing comes from him.=3DC2=3DA0 If you find=
mor=3D
e information about this I=3DE2=3D80=3D99d love to hear about it and will p=
ass it=3D
on to Morgan.=3DC2=3DA0 =3DC2=3DA0=3D0A- Vince=3D0A=3DC2=3DA0=3D0AVince Pi=
telka=3D0AAppalachia=3D
n Center for Craft=3D0ATennessee Tech University=3D0Avpitelka@dtccom.net=3D=
0Ahttp=3D
://iweb.tntech.edu/wpitelka/
Vince Pitelka on sun 4 mar 12
Ben Morrison wrote:
=3DE2=3D80=3D9CApparently there is a point of contention between the Japane=
se =3D
and the Koreans about who actually invented Raku tradition. Some say it =3D
was done by Korean potters under Japanese Occupation. Or maybe that is =3D
just another story as well. At any rate below is another iteration of =3D
the story I have read many times. You'll find it under Raku History =3D
which tells who might be credited with originating Raku. It's not a =3D
definitive answer because of the Japanese Occupation of Korea at the =3D
time Raku was originated. Maybe it's just my imagination, but I recall =3D
reading that the tradition of pulling pots out of the stoke holes in the =
=3D
firebox eventually turned into modern day Raku. It's fairly easy to see =3D
how this happened. It doesn't really matter who started it though =3D
really, the point is that there are different techniques dating back =3D
hundreds of years that we still practice today. One is vitrified and one =
=3D
is not.=3DE2=3D80=3D9D
http://books.google.com/books?id=3D3DlawxTE00QA4C =3D
n+Ra=3D
ku&hl=3D3Den&sa=3D3DX&ei=3D3DWupTT-P_C9DMiQKM9pm0Bg&ved=3D3D0CDwQ6AEwAQ#v=
=3D3Donepa=3D
ge&q=3D3DKorean%20Raku&f=3D3Dfalse> =3D
&pg=3D3DPA12&dq=3D3DKorean+Raku&hl=3D3Den&sa=3D3DX&ei=3D3DWupTT-P_C9DMiQKM9=
pm0Bg&ve=3D
d=3D3D0CDwQ6AEwAQ#v=3D3Donepage&q=3D3DKorean%20Raku&f=3D3Dfalse
=3D20
Hi Ben =3DE2=3D80=3D93=3D20
Steven Branfman is a friend of mine, and his =3DE2=3D80=3D9CMastering =3D
Raku=3DE2=3D80=3D9D is the best book available on American Raku. Steve was=
=3D
going on the best information available when he wrote his Raku book, but =
=3D
obviously it is a Raku how-to book and not a scholarly publication. The =
=3D
section of his book you identify is not entirely accurate and =3D
perpetuates misinformation that is pretty entrenched and widespread. My =
=3D
son Morgan really is the one who =3DE2=3D80=3D9Cwrote the book=3DE2=3D80=3D=
9D on =3D
this subject, at least the most recent and definitive scholarly book, =3D
titled, =3DE2=3D80=3D9CHandmade Culture: Raku Potters, Patrons, and Tea =3D
Practitioners in Japan.=3DE2=3D80=3D9D You can get it on Amazon. This boo=
k =3D
was to some degree based on the research Morgan did for his doctorate at =
=3D
Princeton. Much of the primary source material was researched while =3D
Morgan was living in Japan. He is among the select few Westerners ever =3D
given full access to the Raku family collections and documents. Morgan =3D
is currently associate professor of Asian Studies at UNC Chapel Hill, =3D
teaching courses in pre-modern Japan, although currently he is on a =3D
year-long fellowship at the National Humanities Center (fortunately =3D
within easy commuting distance of Chapel Hill). He is also Director of =3D
the Triangle Center for Japanese Studies, a collaboration of Duke, North =
=3D
Carolina State-Durham, and UNC Chapel Hill. See, I warned you all that =3D
I would mercilessly brag about him every chance I get.=3D20
=3D20
And not to nitpick, but as Hank Murrow pointed out (and educated me on =3D
this fact!), the Setoguro teabowls pulled from the stoke-holes of the =3D
wood kiln at high-fire temperatures were often made from a very =3D
refractory clay and thus were not vitrified but instead remained porous. =
=3D
This allowed them to easily withstand the quick cooling in open air, =3D
and also produced insulating and sound qualities similar to those =3D
coveted in low-fired Raku teabowls. =3D20
- Vince=3D20
=3D20
Vince Pitelka
Appalachian Center for Craft
Tennessee Tech University
vpitelka@dtccom.net
http://iweb.tntech.edu/wpitelka/
=3D20
=3D20
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