Hasuyo Miller
Ceramic Art
Portfolio - Pajamas, Naked Raku Fruit, and Raku Jars
Handbuilt using slabs. Kimono collar.
Pajama
Front image of Pajama
back detail
Front image
detail of back
"Naked Raku" using grape leaves from home grown vines. (prices start at $350, sold)
Large yellow apple, thrown and burnished. Naked Raku firing technique.
Raku "Pajamas"
These “Pajamas” are raku fired. Raku is an ancient Japanese firing method with post-fired cooling techniques. Each piece is fired a minimum of two times. Glaze is applied before the second firing and the form is placed in a gas kiln. The temperature is slowly raised to 1900 degrees F. You can literally see the glazes melting like molten glass. The piece is taken out with metal tongs and placed in a metal container filled with combustible materials such as shredded paper, sawdust, dry leaves, etc. This material immediately ignites and flames surround the quickly cooling form. A lid is tightly placed over that container and the carbon from the smoky atmosphere is absorbed into the clay and glaze giving it the black to smoky gray appearance on the unglazed surface. Transparent glazes show the crazing “crackle” lines because the rate of contraction differs from the clay. If a high concentrate of copper is used in the glaze, the combination of atmosphere and temperature variations in the container contribute to the colorful patterns.
Raku is an exciting process and is valued for the unique irreproducible patterns of crazing and color.
White Geisha
12.5" x 10.5" x 4.25"
$350 SOLD
Samurai
12" x 10.5" x 4"
$350 SOLD
Saturn Orange Geisha
12.5 x 10.5 x 4.5
$350 SOLD
Samurai ~ Saturn Orange
12 x 10.5 x 4.5
$350 - SOLD
Red Geisha With Fan
11.75" x 10.25" x 4.25"
$350 SOLD
Red Butterfly Geisha
12.25" x 10.5" x 4.25"
$350 SOLD
Reduced Prices
I am not creating any more of these sculptures, so the prices have been reduced. Shipping is approximately $50. Different firing styles and different clay bodies include porcelain and red earthenware. Scroll all the way to the bottom for the last two red Pajamas.
Mandarin Grape Leaves
12.5" x 10.75" x 4.75"
$225
Multiple firings include
naked raku and
ferric chloride
Bright Summer
13" x 10.5" x 5"
$300
Naked Raku with grape leaves
design
Naked raku is a process similar to raku firing. The second “glaze firing” is lower in temperature, and the glaze is scraped off (a long laborious process) to reveal the “naked” surface.
When creating the “naked” style pajamas, I coat the surface with porcelain slips for color.
I grow my own grape vines so that I may use these leaves as a signature decorative process. I create each “Pajama” using the handbuilt slab construction method. No molds are used to create my work.