Workshop Details and Biography

Raku Ceramics - Patricia Shone
Wednesday June 9th to Wednesday June 16th

The focus of this workshop is to experience the fundamental processes of ceramics in a spectacular location!

It promises to be an exciting, elemental and creative week!

The workshop is suitable for all levels and will be adapted according to who is participating. Experienced potters will have time to experiment, beginners will be guided through the hand building techniques most suitable for raku and everyone should have several pieces to glaze and fire by the end of the week.

Raku is a low temperature earthenware technique involving a rapid glaze firing cycle. The pots are placed into and removed from a red-hot kiln using long tongs. Adapted by western potters from an ancient Japanese method, it usually involves some form of post firing reduction. This is achieved by immersing the pots straight from the hot kiln into a container of combustible material and closing the container. Lots of smoke and flames accompany this and after a while the pots are quenched in water and scrubbed to reveal their final beauty.

Proposed timetable:

Wednesday evening, June 9th – We start with an informal evening meal – a chance to meet your fellow potters and to get your bearings for the workshop.

Patricia will talk informally about her work and the workshop, and there will be books and pots to read and admire.

Thursday – A brief introduction from Patricia to the techniques we will be using. Then we get straight into making so that by the end of the day each participant will have at least two pieces ready for finishing.

Friday – In the morning we’ll finish the pieces ready for drying (pots are normally left to dry naturally over several days but as we will need them on Monday, they will be force dried).

In the afternoon participants can continue making (these pieces will not be ready for raku-ing at the end of the workshop, except as ‘experimental’ pieces or to sawdust fire, weather & time permitting) or collect combustibles on the beach beside Quiraing Lodge to dry for use in the post firing reduction.

Saturday – Patricia disappears with all the pots to finish drying and bisque firing them.

Participants have the chance to explore fabulous Skye, visit some of the many other artists and craftspeople who work here, climb mountains, drink the whisky etc.

Sunday – Another free day whilst we wait for the bisque kiln to cool down.

Monday – Glazing day.

Patricia returns with your pots, safely dried and bisque fired!

She will give an introduction to raku glazes, their preparation and use, and later explain how to construct and fire the raku kiln.

We will glaze some pots today, ready for firing first thing tomorrow….

Tuesday – Firing day.

We get straight into firing our pots. With the right weather we will be able to build the kiln on the beach, or a sheltered part of the river mouth. The first cycle is usually a little slower than subsequent ones, thereafter we should be opening the kiln every hour or so.
A relaxed day interspersed with frenetic activity….

Followed by much mutual admiration of pots, and, weather permitting, a celebratory barbecue on the beach.

Wednesday

Depart after breakfast.

Residential fee - £485, inclusive of 7 nights accommodation, all meals, 4 days workshop participation, tuition and materials.
Non-residential fee - £355

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Patricia Shone

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Patricia Shone has been using the raku technique to fire her unique pots ever since she set up her workshop on Skye in 1997. She uses a clay body specially formulated for raku firing, applies slips and oxides to build up textures and biscuit fires the work to 1050ºc. Glazes are fired in the raku kiln to 950ºc - 1000ºc with post firing reduction in sawdust, seaweed and leaves. Examples of her work can be seen on line at: www.handmadeinskye.co.uk and www.justart.co.uk

Patricia writes:

“From a studio with one of the best views from Skye I make hand built raku-fired pots that are not functional as containers for liquids. I like the idea of an empty pot, its potential and the volume it contains.

“I enjoy the slow processes of making by coiling and scraping. I start with a simple idea of a bowl form or a bottle shape and a rough idea of the size. I don’t have a fixed image of the final piece but allow the form to develop without too much interference from mental processes.

The finishing of a piece is more conscious as are my decisions about the surface texture and glazing. I try to work by trusting my instinctive feeling about a piece. In this way I hope to develop forms which are expressive of myself and which reflect my life.

The results remind me of the colours and textures of where I live. I am developing this theme through the surface textures of the pots combined with dry copper matt glazes, slip resists and terra sigilata. I also use iron oxide from the algal bloom of a local spring which gives my work a physical connection to the landscape as well as the inspiration from it.”

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