Raku Taster – 26th July 2025

Today’s blog written by one of our students – Ceri

Often on the search for fun activities for me and my partner to do together,  I was delighted when I came across Raku Mania taster course with Karen and Adrian. I had always been interested in raku, and loved the organic and unpredictable effects it could bring to a pot. And I knew the experimental creativity, and the very hot quick kiln would appeal to my partner who had never tried pottery. Raku had been on my bucket list, but after watching Great pottery throw down, and seeing lots of exploded and broken pots emerging from the process, I was nervous to buy a course and end up with nothing to show – from my research into raku courses, this seems to be a common outcome! However with Raku Mania, Adrian has already thrown and fired the pots, and the course focuses only on the glazing and raku effects, meaning that all participants will walk away with intact beautifully patterned pots – a promise that Adrian and Karen feel strongly about.

The day started with a cup of coffee in the gorgeous ceramics studio, surrounded by inspiring pots in a variety of styles. Adrian then took us through the origins of raku, the social need for the firing process to come into being in Japan, how it came to be in the UK and then how it has evolved away from its roots into the (very different) effect we all recognise as raku in the UK. The talk was interactive and conversational, allowing us to feel the clay and to handle traditional (and none traditional) raku examples and see the differences up close. It was fascinating!

We then explored the different types of raku that participants can try: Horsehair raku, naked raku and crackle glaze raku. To further enhance the effects and add your own personality, Adrian and Karen demonstrated different resist methods that you could use. Karens gallery is also attached to the studio – a fab place to get inspiration! One of the best parts of the course is the creative freedom – Adrian provides a variety of different shaped pots that you can choose from and one participant cleverly incorporated all of the resist techniques into crackle glaze mug producing a gorgeous mountain scene! Karen and Adrian will guide you through the processes to help you produce the design you are looking for.

After lunch and a good chat with the other participants – it was firing time!

Adrian talked us through the kiln processes as they happened, and when the first batch of pots emerged from the kiln they were unrecognisable! With in seconds of emerging the magic happened and they transformed into gorgeous colourful vessels when they hit the air. However the process didn’t stop there, they were quickly squirreled away in chests for the real magic to happen.  For those who had wanted coppering on their pots, they were the first to emerge from their chest, in the most beautiful shining copper! Adrian had explained previously that the coppering effect isn’t predictable – but these pots absolutely shone. Karen then taught us how to scrub and clean our pots to reveal the designs.

Our middle firing was the horsehair pots. We all gathered around in excitement to watch Karen and Adrians demonstration pot and see how we should lay our materials on the burning hot pot, and the different effects that could be made. Raku Mania provided materials for this, but many of us also bought our own sentimental materials to try out which allowed us to make the pot even more special. The effects of the materials burning on the pots was gorgeous and it was so much fun to try as the process was very different from the others.

Lastly was the naked raku firing, as these came out you could hear the tinkling of the glaze cracking to create the spaces where the smoke would fill. After they came out of the combustion chest, we had the biggest reveal as we removed the soot and the glaze and polished the pots examining their patterns.

I already have too many hobbies, so I joined this course just wanting to learn about the Raku process, have a nice time and take home some lovely pots, however others were on the course with a variety of experience, including one participant who was looking to build a raku kiln and exploring raku as an addition to her ceramics business. It takes a real talent to be able to cater to such a broad audience, but Karen and Adrian are engaging fantastic teachers, and managed to tailor answers engagingly so that those just there for a fun expereince and interest were still engaged and fascinated by the process, and those who really wanted to understand more technical aspects like kiln pressures and temperatures and materials were also thoroughly satisfied. It is easy for this sort of subject to start to feel like information overload for the novice, but with Adrians humour, laidback teaching style and playfulness he effortlessly bought everyone in. We were blown away by their teaching style.

This was one of the best craft courses I have been on, it was a fantastic day!

CCH – Fabulous day! Brilliant clear teaching, well organised & so very enjoyable. Thank you so much

CG – Fantastic day, really had great fun

R – Thanks for a lovely day. Love my pots

CM – Really fantastic day, absolutely loved it. Thank you so much

BK – Adrian & Karen, you’re both excellent teachers and so happy with my pots, thanks to your enthusiastic guidance! Thanks!