The word raku has been translated to mean ease, pleasure, or enjoyment which epitomizes the state of being one attempts to achieve when engaging in the Japanese tea ceremony.

The way raku is defined for modern western ceramicists describes a certain firing process. It is a fast-firing process that yields exciting and unpredictable effects on the surface of the finished piece. The range of possibility and innovation is endless in this firing process and invites artists to challenge known practices and create new tetchiness and ideas to produce exciting results. In these pages, you can learn more about the process, see how it is done, and sample some finished vases, sculptures and other items.

Enjoy!