TWISTING RAKU VASE

Artist: Raku Art (Dover, FL)

Decorative handmade ceramic vase. Formulated with a copper matte raku glaze that is one of the best you’ll ever see. Vase is porous and cannot hold water but a liner can be inserted for use with a wet arrangement.

Approximate Dimensions:
• Height: 16"
• Width: 4.5"
• Depth: 4.5"

* Glaze color and pattern may vary from piece to piece and is the nature of handmade items

ABOUT RAKU:

Raku ceramics originated with the Japanese tea masters in the 16th century but evolved into a very different art form in the United States during the 20th century. In the traditional Japanese process hand-shaped rather than thrown, fairly porous vessels were fired at low temperatures and removed from the kiln while still glowing hot and allowed to cool in the open air. The Western version are fired at a high temperature, and after removing pieces from the kiln, the pieces are placed in an open-air container filled with combustible material and then covered and allowed to smoke. The Western process can give a great variety of colors and surface effects.

ABOUT THE ARTIST:

"I still get an adrenaline rush every time I reach into a red hot kiln to pull a piece of raku art out. That rush of excitement has never gone away and it is only matched by putting the piece into the reduction chamber to start the fire which creates the beautiful colors on my work. The anticipation grows as I wait an hour for the piece to cool and get a glimpse of the beauty I have created. Taking the finished piece from the reduction chamber and seeing all the colors on my raku is the reward of a day's work." – William K. Turner, artist

William K. Turner was born in Miami, Florida on August 25, 1951. At the age of twelve, he moved to Shreveport, LA and graduated from high school there in 1970. He attended Northeast Louisiana University, where he studied Business Management, then Fine Art, concentrating in Ceramics. Mr. Turner moved to Tampa in 1974, to take a post as Vice President of C & F Wholesale Ceramics. In 1983, he received a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of South Florida, where he specialized in raku and salt-glaze firing.

In 1988, Mr. Turner developed an accessory line of slip-cast raku fired ceramics which he marketed to Fine Furniture and Interior Design stores. He showed the line at the High Point Furniture Market with Van Teal of Miami for two years. In 1991, William started Raku Art and marketed his work nationally through a network of manufacturer representatives. Mr. Turner's work has sold in over 100 fine furniture showrooms, gifts stores, galleries, and interior design stores throughout the states.

Mr. Turner is one of a few artist in the United States who produce copper matte raku fired ware year-round. He personally pulls every piece from the kiln and inspects each piece of Raku Art before it is signed and dated. The Copper Matte glaze used is one that he has formulated and worked with for many years. The finishes are all derived around this one raku glaze and a combination of special techniques. He achieves a wide range of colors and has perfected both light and dark raku finishes. William uses many unique shapes in his line that are the canvas for his Raku Art, painted with fire.