Something Different ...

Here’s something different...These are some of my results from an Obvarra firing yesterday with Marcy Fedalei at West Main Artists in Spartanburg. Obvarra (also know as Baltic Raku) is a method of sealing low fire pottery that dates back to the Middle Ages in Eastern Europe. It involves removing pottery hot from the kiln at about 1,600 degrees and then dunking it in a fermented liquid mixture of flower, yeast and sugar “the brew,” then quickly immersing the piece in water and then sitting it out to dry. A couple of these pieces have some highlight glazing, otherwise the pieces are unglazed with the various shades of brown, black and cream colors a result of the white clay body and the “cooking” of the brew as the piece is moved from the brew to the water which quickly cools the piece, stopping the cooking and sealing the piece. Very spontaneous and unpredictable unique results for each piece.

Lots of fun!