Background

Serena Bates's raku fired ceramic sculpture, "Joyful Ellie," is a wonderful example of how the unpredictable raku process can create a whimsical and unique piece of art. The sculpture itself captures the spirited essence of a baby elephant, with its playful stance and delightful expression. The raku firing technique, which originated in Japan and was later adapted in the West, involves a rapid heating and cooling of the ceramic piece. After being bisque-fired and glazed, the elephant sculpture would have been placed in a special kiln and heated to a high temperature. While still glowing red-hot, the piece is quickly removed from the kiln and placed into a container with combustible materials like sawdust or newspaper.

This dramatic step causes the materials to ignite and creates a smoky, oxygen-starved environment, also known as reduction. The lack of oxygen causes a variety of chemical reactions resulting in the characteristic smoke, and crackled patterns that make each raku piece one-of-a-kind.

Material Raku Fired Ceramic
Size 16H x 7W x 11L