|
PAINTING WITH FIRE"
Raku, like fire itself, cannot be planned precisely. Each vessel develops its own personality in the process.
Bacon firing his pots to 1800 degrees Fahrenheit, then removes them from the kiln while they are still very hot. They receive a second firing in a bed of wood shavings. He closes off the air supply to the fire, causing the chamber to fill up with gasses and carbon. This produces the matt black. Air is then allowed back into the chamber, and the scorching flames paint patterns around the pot, producing a brilliant array of colors.
|
Norman Bacons art is a mixture of spontaneity and control. Low temperatures and rapid firing and cooling create magical variations in color and beading that cant be duplicated.