Push color and surface in raku with oxides and stains, then fire and reduce for dramatic effects.
Dive into color development and surface drama. We’ll explore metal oxides and ceramic stains to create varied coloration and texture, then fire and reduce to see how chemistry, heat, and atmosphere interact.
You’ll learn:
- Using oxides/stains for color shifts and textures
- How reduction atmosphere changes surface results
- Simple test strategies to replicate effects later
Bring / Provided:
- Bring: 2–3 small to medium bisque pieces (raku-suitable clay), optional respirator
- Available as needed: bisque blanks if you don’t have your own
- Provided: house glazes, PPE (gloves/eye protection), tongs, reduction cans
Good to know: Outdoor firing = flame & smoke. Wear natural fibers, long pants, and closed-toe shoes. Tie back long hair.
Raku Evenings Series:
Raku Evenings is a three-part, hands-on series where you’ll glaze, fire, and reduce your own pieces each night—building from core techniques to advanced surface design. Start with glaze application and safe kiln workflow, deepen color and texture with oxides and stains, then layer stencils and wax resist for complex effects and a quick group critique. Each session is sold separately and beginner-friendly—bring bisque or we’ll provide blanks—take one to spark ideas or all three for a complete raku arc.
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Raku Evenings: Glazing & Firing
Hands-on raku night—glaze, fire, reduce, and leave with finished work. Bring bisque or have blanks provided.
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Raku Evenings: Color & Texture with Oxides & Stains
Push color and surface in raku with oxides and stains, then fire and reduce for dramatic effects.
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Raku Evenings: Advanced Techniques & Critique
Stencil, wax resist, under/overglaze layering—then fire, reduce, and group-crit your results.
About Your Instructor
Jim Romberg is an artist and educator with 40+ years in raku-fired sculptural work. Professor Emeritus at Southern Oregon University, he has led ceramics programs at Anderson Ranch and the Sun Valley Center, and taught widely across the U.S. and Europe. His work—recognized for color, brushwork, and special reduction techniques—appears in major collections including Sèvres (Paris), Scripps College (CA), the Schneider Museum (OR), and the Boise Museum of Art (ID).
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