Unique raku fired Bonsai pots

Good day everyone

I'm new to this forum so I will briefly introduce myself.
My passion for sculpting and ceramics brought me here.
This summer I met a friend from the UK who has a passion for Bonsai.
Seen my passion for ceramics and Raku, he witnessed a raku fire.
We discussed the relation of Bonsai and Raku (mainly its philosophy) and so on.

Back home I studied more about Raku and Bonsai and decided to give it a go.
I made a dozen Raku fired Bonsai pots (hand-made of course, all unique).

Selling is one thing, improving and developing another.
Anyway, if you're interested in the result, go to this webpage



http://www.fireproofed.be/

As I mentioned, I'm just as much interested in your opinion, tips or anything else as I am in selling.

Best regards
Kris Dekeijzer

Interesting pot. Just for your information, most or many of us might find the corners to be a bit too sharp, though some might like it for a specific tree. The drainage hole should be a bit larger, or there should be two of them -- or both.

The surface on the inside and outside shows cracks. Are those cosmetic or part of the design, or do they go through the walls of the pot? If so, there would eventually be a problem using the pot in very cold climates.

Thanks for showing.

JimLewis wrote:The surface on the inside and outside shows cracks.  Are those cosmetic or part of the design, or do they go through the walls of the pot?  If so, there would eventually be a problem using the pot in very cold climates.  

Raku generally does not get hot enought to create pots suitable for frost I think

No, the cracks do not get through the walls of the pot. It is just the thin glaze that has cracked due to the temperature shock.
They are taken out of the kiln when it reaches 1050°c (more or less) and put in a barrel with straw, wood shavings,... anything that burns quickly.
So, they are part of the design.

Thanks for the feedback anyway. It is useful and interesting.
Kris

I like it, the sharpness doesn't bother me at all, nor do the cracks. The glaze is a soft and beautiful too. Cold isn't a factor for me so I can't help out there, but that one hole really is a problem... for drainage as well and trying the tree into the pot. Holes in the corners really are a must...

Thanks Russel. I will take your advice (and that of others) concerning the drainage and wiring holes into account.
Kris

The problem with raku firing, is not the heat to mature the body, but the thermal shock from taking the pot out of the kiln at 1050 deg.c and then the smoking process to develop the effects of raku.

Unless the clay body is of low thermal expansion, the normal result is a shattered body and often a porous body.
Later.
Khaimraj

Oh yes, the original raku bodies, use grog to block the cracks from passing through the entire body.
Later.
Khaimraj

I was browsing bonsai pots on the internet and this caught my eye. I know bonsai is all about ancient trees but I love modern sleek design and this pot is killer. A work of art.   Are you selling them by any chance.  -Tony

tony & kris - direct selling via the forum is discouraged under the usage policies...
but kris did provide a link to the website in the initial post...

(i believe including a link in a signature to a post is acceptable)

beautiful work kris...
keep us posted as you develop your pots !!!

beer city snake wrote:tony & kris - direct selling via the forum is discouraged under the usage policies...
but kris did provide a link to the website in the initial post...

(i believe including a link in a signature to a post is acceptable)

beautiful work kris...
keep us posted as you develop your pots !!!

  You can't sell stuff here?

it is frowned upon...

I love raku but as others have noted, it is usually fired at low temperatures like earthenware that do not vitrify the clay.  It is notoriously porous and fragile, and does not hold up well at all to freezing and thawing.   It can't be used for food for that reason (not to mention some raku glazes are toxic) and aren't water tight.  Admittedly I'm not an expert about Raku but my Mother-in-Law has done a lot of it.  I personally work in stoneware and porcelain myself so I could easily be unaware of some variations in raku firing. Be welcome to correct me if I'm mistaken.

I realise that this is quite an old thread now, I wanted to add my experience to it.
I've tried raku several times, because of the low temperature that it's fired to it's to porous. The maximum I managed was two years. Earthenware is brilliant either, better for indoors than out. once the frost hits and the moisture in the clay starts to freeze it cracks. I haven't tried porcelain like Hyn Patty, I tend to stoneware, glazed and unglazed.