Description
Taught by Natalya Sevastyanova of Seva Ceramics
Sunday, May 28 from either 9am-12pm or 1-4pm
In this 1-day workshop, participants will work closely with artist & educator, Natayla Sevastyanova, to learn horse hair, Obvara and foil saggar techniques in Raku firing.
There are two time slots for the firing, morning or afternoon. Horse hair technique will be covered in the morning, in addition to foil sagger. The afternoon session will cover horse hair and Obvara technique. Please make sure to sign up for the time slot that includes the techniques you would like to learn and work with to fire your pieces.
Horse hair technique involves removing bisque fired pieces from the hot kiln and using horse hair and/or sugar to burn unique black and white designs onto the pieces.
Foil saggar technique involves applying a ferric chloride solution onto bisque fired pieces, wrapping them in foil and firing them in the Raku kiln, producing an array of reds, oranges and amber colors.
Obvara Firing originated in Eastern Europe around the 12th Century and involves scalding the finish on the pottery to seal the porous surface, by dunking a heated bisqued pot into a yeast mixture before dunking in water to rapidly cool the piece. The technique creates an array of browns, tans, whites and blacks.
Each session is limited to four participants. Natalya will spend focused time with each participant, sharing her in-depth knowledge so that everyone will gain a solid understanding of how to conduct horse hair and foil saggar Raku firings themselves.
Prior to the firing day, we will provide video tutorials that describe how to prepare your pieces for Raku. Participants will be invited to the studio in advance to apply terra sigillata, prepared by Natalya, to their greenware pieces. All pieces will then be bisque fired at the studio in order to prepare them for the Raku firing.
Participants are welcome to fire up to 8 pieces, no larger than 12 inches in all directions. For smaller pieces, participants can bring up to 10 pieces maximum. Please note that Raku fired pieces are not food safe.
Participants can expect to leave this workshop with their fired pieces. Please note that Raku results can be unpredictable and cracking may occur due to the high intensity nature of the firing. Upon registration, participants will receive further information regarding recommended clay bodies for both wheel thrown and hand built pieces, building techniques ideal for Raku. Recommended clay bodies can be purchased directly from the studio.
This workshop is well suited for those with experience in ceramics who would like to expand their knowledge of firing techniques and are interested in building their own Raku kiln.
Snacks and beverages will be provided, all tools and materials are included, excluding clay. This workshop will take place at Sooki Studio, located in East Los Angeles, 15 minutes east of Downtown.
Photos courtesy of Natalya Sevastyanova.
** If a session sells out and there is greater interest for one firing technique over the other than we will adjust accordingly. Please get in touch with any questions.
Sliding Scale Pricing
Sliding scale pricing is a tool for social equity. We use sliding scale pricing to make ceramics education accessible and affordable to all.
There are three tiers for pricing, when signing up for a workshop, please pay on the scale what feels right to you and your current finances. This is a trust based system, only you will know what feels comfortable and possible.
The high end of the scale is the true cost. If you are someone who can afford to pay this, please do, as this offsets the price for others, allowing us to create more affordable offerings.
Instructor
Natalya Sevastyanova is a Los Angeles-based contemporary ceramic artist. She grew up in the expansive nature of the Ural Mountains, Russia. This has continually influenced her self-expression from the very beginning when Natalya started out as a muralist and animator. She received a M.F.A. in Architecture Design from the Academy of Architecture and Arts, Ekaterinburg, Russia. After a several year-long stay in these fields, she had the strong inclination towards working with a tactile medium.
Since 2013 clay has been her channel to bring the essence of nature’s wildness into client’s homes. Natalya’s body of work has graduated from pottery tableware to teapot ceremony sets and is currently focused on wall sculpture installations. Her pieces have been sold globally and exhibited at art gallery shows across Los Angeles under the title Seva Ceramics. At the present time, she leads private masterclasses about Raku firing techniques.
Cancellation Policy
Workshops are non-refundable, if you do need to cancel we will try my best to fill the spot, in which case we can offer a refund, however this is not guaranteed. If you are unable to attend the workshop you may transfer your spot to another person.
COVID Protocol
Participants are encouraged to take at home Covid tests prior to the workshop to ensure collective safety. As we're working in a very well ventilated environment, masks are optional. If you are experiencing any Covid like symptoms or have been exposed to someone with Covid, please stay home and get in touch so that we can schedule a make-up session.