High fired porcelain and low-fired Raku and Lustre ware

 Raku means pleasure enjoyment, and is the name given to this type of pottery.

The technique was developed in 1597.

Pre-fired pots are rapidly heated to 1000 degrees C, removed from the kiln glowing red hot then plunged into a container of sawdust. This creates a reduction atmosphere, starving the pots of oxygen, so it takes oxygen from the oxides
in the glaze producing spectacular hues of copper, gold, silver and many other exciting colours.

Diane's range of work includes tiny bowls decorated with birds and fish, candlesticks, clocks in ceramic and wood inspired by domes and arches in Byzantine and Russian architecture, decorative domed teapots with birds and fish, large platters with slip trailed images of blackbirds ,snipe or fish and delicate framed ceramic pictures.

Diane hand-builds her work with soft slabs of earthenware clay which are impressed using plaster rollers and slabs and these in turn are pressed into a variety of plaster and wooden moulds. Sprigs of animals and birds are sometimes applied to the forms, and handles, spouts and lids are all carefully hand formed.

At present her work is glazed to 1060 C and she use s a number of reduced in-glaze lustre glazes which require two sep a rate firings in a gas kiln. The final firing to 725 C in a carefully controlled kiln atmosphere ,transforms the glazes to a rich and varied iridesant lustrous surface.

 Roberta specialises in porcelain. Her collection of work includes porcelain parcels, which can be personalised to commemorate births, marriages and other special events, as well as porcelain handbags impressed with various textures and materials, which bear special memories, each with their own character.

The parcels come in 4 different colours and can be personalised with a special date stamp and name tag.

Please contact us for details

Stephen Farnan is fast becoming a leader in contemporary Irish pottery.

His designs are far removed from the traditional and sometimes conservative pots made in Ireland. The quirky and unapologetic pieces aim to make the lives of those who buy them as colourful and interesting as possible, employing vibrant reds, greens, chocolate browns and blues to get their message across!