BEV'S CERAMIC ART and IKEBANA
Raku, unique platters, bowls, vases and IKEBANA containers
RAKU
Raku is a special firing technique developed in Japan in the 16th c. Vessels are removed from the kiln when molten hot at 1800 F and placed in a reduction chamber with combustibles such as sawdust or newspaper. Results are unique and striking!
My specialty is black and white raku, called “naked” raku because there is no glaze. The white is the clay body which is protected from turning black by the smoke by a special slip that is chipped off after the firing. Raku pieces are not food safe and do not hold liquids.
Prices for my raku work range from $50 to $290.
PLATTERS and BOWLS
My goal is to create unique pieces so no sets of mugs or dishes. I use a variety of techniques and firing methods. All of my platters and bowls are food safe and hold liquids.
Prices range from $40 to $175.
VASES
I create a variety of unique vases for use with flowers, leaves, branches, and other materials.
IKEBANA
Ikebana is a form of flower arranging that originated in Japan. I became a certified teacher in the Sogetsu school of Ikebana in 2017. As a ceramic artist and an Ikebana artist, my goal is to create vessels that accentuate but do not overpower the arrangement. I design containers to support many creative possibilities- including the use of driftwood!
My prices range from $50 to $250.
GALLERY
ABOUT
I began experimenting with all the possibilities of clay and glazes 20 years ago to balance a career in international business. I was inspired in my travels by other cultures and natural beauty and diversity.
My goal is to create a unique and diverse body of work. I want my pieces to be complex but still maintain simplicity and grace.
I create my work using a pottery wheel, handbuilding and altering forms. To achieve the effect I want, I use a variety of firing techniques: raku, gas reduction, oxidation, and the woodfiring photoed here. Hard work! The kiln must be fed with wood for about 24 hours.
Please explore some of my work here or, if you are in the DC metropolitan area, please visit my studio at the Torpedo Factory Art Center in Alexandria, Va. or see my work at Art A La Carte Gallery in historic Occoquan, VA.
