New tile project!

Homing in on possible styles here!

 I have been in love with an old house(1912) for three years and we have slowly been fixing it up. Next project is back splash tiles for my kitchen. I am putting in old oak five panel shaker style lower cabinets with antique white uppers and pantry. By now my budget is in disarray so I am planning to do the painting and tiling myself. The process is difficult as I try to marry some wonderful old 3″ tiles (I paid 10 cents each and have 13 sq feet in a box) I found at a Habitat for Humanity store with my own version of a traditional twist. You can see from the gallery that I have tried many styles of tile decorating. All are fun and wonderful in their own way. I think I am homing in on the final version with natural grasses and floral tiles or a combo of patterned tiles in Tigers eye and Pistachio Chino.

In the first images you see samples of underglaze painted on to tiles(mushroom and cats etc), print images transferred and then painted on tiles(goose family hot plate) and texture impressed onto tiles. One of my first projects was new tiles for a bistro table and chairs. The original tiles were not weather worthy and it was my first learn as you go and is worthy of another link! The image of the cabin is somewhat three dimensional with fence posts and flowers in the bottom layer raised. This has yet to be framed as the weight is substantial and would be best made into a table top.

In the last five images you see my colour palette that I am moving towards. The tiles with grasses and flowers impressed will be bisque fired and treated with a stain to highlight the texture. Watch for new posts and progress images. Thank you for your interest!

Raku Fired Pottery

Raku pottery originates from a process used in Japan for hundreds of years. The tea ceremony has, at its heart, precious tea cups and pots that are age old and must be treated with great respect and gentleness. They are pieces of pottery the are not fully changed to stone as firing has been stopped before the conversion to stone has finished at very low firing temperatures.

This process has been remade to another purpose in America. It is usually done outside in open air and there is plenty of smoke! It is a decorative process for pottery – not food safe but purely decorative. Its purpose is to reflect the beauty of heat and flame on pieces of clay. They may or may not survive the harsh shock treatment they will go through. If they do, they will be unique and almost impossible to duplicate.

Raku Outdoor Setup
All ready to go!

The process involves using a heavy grog clay or a specially created Raku clay to form suitable vessels that can be physically put into a hot kiln, brought up to 1650-1850 degrees F, and then removed with long tongs. Various processes are used, the following two being the most common:

Decorative Raku Piece
Horse hair and feathers

After heating to 1600 F naked unglazed burnished pots may be placed on a flame proof surface and horsehair or feathers are draped over to smoke and melt into the surface.

Ptarmigan Piece
Ptarmigan with clear glaze

For glazed or partially glazed pieces there are usually combustible materials like leaves or sawdust set up in a large pot or can with a lid near by the kiln, with a wet towel folded in front at the ready. The kiln is closely monitored until it reaches the desired temperature (usually 1800F or so, using a heat visor the potters watch for the glaze to begin to bubble and look like an orange peel). The kiln lid is then removed and protective clothing worn to gingerly remove the orange hot pots from the kiln one by one. They may be swung in cool air to form fine cracks in the glaze and then put into reduction. They may be rushed immediately to the metal pot to prevent oxidation of glaze and to affect certain colour variations. The paper or leaves burst into flame and a wet towel is then thrown over top to encourage the black resultant smoke to cover every unglazed surface or crack.

Results can sometimes be a gamble but Raku artists can fairly consistently draw out certain colours and unique looks.

Salmon and Bear

The creative process to build this piece was inspired by Gale Woodhouse, a potter extraordinaire in Vernon, BC. She encouraged us to let the clay’s shape dictate its result. She had us roll out a slab of clay, of no particular shape or plan and then drape and set it up.

Bear and Salmon ceramic piece
Bear and Salmon from the side


Much like a wood worker sees an image in a trunk or a sculptor sees a shape in marble, she encouraged us to look at what appeared in a slumped piece of clay. I saw a bear, sitting on its backside contemplating life, or perhaps the salmon I later created for him. Could I recreate him? I doubt it. What a fun unique project. I encourage you to give it a try.

Note the wound on the salmon – this bear is hungry!