“Raku-yaki, or Raku ware, is a type of Japanese pottery that is traditionally and primarily used in the Japanese tea ceremony in Japan, most often in the form of tea bowls. It is traditionally characterized by hand-molding of the clay as opposed to turning it on a potter's wheel, resulting in each piece being "one-of-a-kind" low firing temperatures (resulting in a fairly porous body) and the removal of pieces from the kiln while still glowing hot. In the traditional Japanese firing process, the fired Raku piece is removed from the hot kiln and put directly into water or allowed to cool in the open air.” - Wikipedia

 

When asked about the success and essence of the trip, instructor David Ruben reported that it was very successful.  He remarked, “It’s about the power of first hand experiences, watching the glazes melt and feeling the stored heat of the kiln and radiant heat coming off of one’s own work, seeing all the elements of one’s medium in flux and transformation and feeling directly a part of that process, the heat, the acrid sting of the smoke, the fragility and spectacular durability of clay solids becoming liquid and liquids becoming solid.  It’s also about finally trusting students to do something kind of dangerous and letting them feel complete ownership of a dynamic process…there is no substitute for being there, you have to feel it to know it.”

The group enjoyed a lunch prepared by Dalton mom, Minna Pinger. The trip was funded in part by the Dalton Parents Association who commissioned the first Raku trip in support of the Dalton Spirit Awards. The Spirit Awards are given to individuals in the community who exemplify Dalton’s philosophy and spirit through their deeds, generosity and time commitment. Several of the tubular, extruded and altered sculptural cylindrical forms seen in the video will be chosen and offered as trophies to be given to the Spirit Award recipients.