Sylvia Quinnell - Linear expression exhibition

RAKU - White Crackle Glaze

Where East meets West taking its origins from the Japanese Tea Ceremony

Sylvia's white crackle glaze pots are intially, traditionally fired in an electric kiln to 1000c -

biscuit ware.  The pots are then glazed with a low melt tin glaze, placed in her home made outdoor dustbin type kiln which is fired by a propane gas burner.  The kiln is heated to 1000c in approximately 45 minutes breaking all traditional western rules.  Once the glaze has melted the red hot pots are lifted out with long handled tongs and placed into buckets of sawdust (reduction process).  The thermal shock causes the glaze to crackle.  Once the pot is cool it is washed clean to expose the crackle patterns and  the unglazed areas remain black.