Horse Hair Raku vase #5

Raku vase, Horse hair treatment.

Colored with iron oxide prior to raku firing. the piece is placed in a raku kiln and rapidly fired to 1800 deg. F.  The piece is pulled out of the kiln while red hot and horse hair applied to the surface. The horse hair  will crinkle and curl because of the hot surface it then carbonizes and infuses into the body of the piece.

Sometimes the horse hair vaporizes creating a smoke which is then captured in the matrix of the hot ceramic and becomes a feature in the finished piece. 

This bowl has a wood working wax applied as a sealant and gives a bright glow to the finish.