Craft Fair of the Southern Highlands | July 20-22, 2018

Craft Fair of the Southern Highlands

71th A N N I V E R S A R Y   |  J U L Y   20 – 22  &  O C T O B E R   19 – 21,  2018

Friday through Saturday, 10:00 to 6:00 pm + Sunday, 10:00 am to 5:00pm
US Cellular Center, 87 Haywood Street | Downtown Asheville, NC
General Admission, $8.00 and Children under 12 free

In its 71st year, the Craft Fair of the Southern Highlands returns to downtown Asheville’s U.S. Cellular Center. Filling both the concourse and arena levels of the venue, makers exhibit a variety of craft ranging from contemporary to traditional in works of clay, wood, metal, glass, fiber, natural materials, paper, leather, mixed media, and jewelry.

MORE INFO: https://www.southernhighlandguild.org/shops-and-fairs/craft-fair-of-the-southern-highlands/

Raku Pottery Glaze: Forbes Lime Green

View fullsize

As shown fired to 2000F with pyrometer so the silver glaze will melt.

RAKU POTTERY GLAZE RECIPE

Frit 3110                     54%
Nepheline Syenite    21%
EPK (Kaolin)               10%
Silica                           10%
Lithium Carbonate     5%
Add:
Chrome                       .4% (that's point 4)
Tin                               3%
Hectorite                     2%  (or 1 Bentonite dry mixed)

A note about Hectorite:  It's a suspender in powder form similar to Bentonite except it doesn't have to be dry mixed with the other chemicals.  It's not a common raku pottery glaze chemical and you may have to search for it on the web. I purchased mine at Highwater Clays, but they don't carry it anymore due to lack of demand (nobody knew what it was used for).

Raku Pottery Glaze: Blue Moon

View fullsize

Glaze fired to 1900F.

RAKU POTTERY GLAZE RECIPE

Silica                             30%
Frit 3134                        20%
Nepheline Syenite        15%     
Lithium Carbonate.       15%
EPK Kaolin                     10%
Strontium Carbonate    10%
Tin Oxide                        7%
Copper Carbonate         4%
Bentonite                         1%

This is a stable blue and red glaze.  1/2% Epsom Salts can be substituted for Bentonite.  This glaze produces some incredible raku pottery and is one that I developed several years ago.  This picture is the results of the raku glaze fired to 1900F. It remains a staple in my studio.  See more of my work by visiting my raku pottery store.  To learn more about my process, visit my raku firing page.

NEW COMMISSION FOR ART & ASSOCIATES

I just completed firing 25 pieces for a new commission from Art and Associates in Atlanta, Georgia.  It will be installed in the new DCCU headquarters in Atlanta.  This bottle is one of the pieces which features my Space Rock glaze.

WORKSHOP: Fire and Smoke, the Art of Raku: June 26-30, 2017

I will be hosting a Raku Workshop in Highlands, NC at The Bascom's Dave Drake Studio Barn entitled "Fire and Smoke, the Art of Raku" from June 26-30, 2017.  

If you are interested, please contact The Bascom Center for the Visual Arts at: 

828-526-4949
323 Franklin Road
Highlands, NC 28741

info@thebascom.org

Write up from Venice Clay Artists

"Gazing at the free form patterns and natural colours of a raku pottery finish is like looking at the colourful atmosphere of a mysterious world. Steven Forbes deSoule raku pieces are no exception and present exotic vistas that invite wonderful intrigue. He introduces more green and blue hues, in addition to the typical earthy reds and orange raku colours, in the reduction process to enhance the colour diversity. He uses the raku standard of a steel rubbish bin for a reduction chamber, which I always view as a fantastic irony, relative to the glorious outcomes from raku firing.
Steven Forbes deSoule has been a successful raku pottery artist for over 37 years, creating unique, hand made vessels and sculptures, while finding endless ways to manipulate the oxygen, gases and glazes during the raku reduction technique, to achieve a myriad of attractive outcomes. His intricate firing process and use of his own glazes and underglazes, with multiple firings, leads to ‘one of a kind pieces’ displaying beautiful enriched colours and textures. “The one constant with my work throughout the years has been transformation. I find it fun and challenging to try new things, and I especially enjoy developing new glazes. I started firing exclusively using the raku process in 1982 and found the element of serendipity and surprise to be invigorating.”"

http://www.veniceclayartists.com/steven-forbes-desoule-raku-with-lush-hues/