AMANDA RAY
Raku-fired ceramic jewellery made in St Ives
Inspired by Art Deco and the designs of the Sixties
An ancient Japanese firing technique
The raku technique I use produces colourful and lustrous surface finishes. Silver nitrate is mixed with different pigments to make my unique glazes, which are applied to the bisque fired pieces. Fired again to 930 degrees, I remove the work from the kiln, place in sawdust and layer it with paper. It is at this point that the flames transform the glazes into colourful lustres. I then use damp wood chippings to quickly extinguish the flames, producing smoke. Areas left unglazed are carbonised by this, creating contrasting dark matt surfaces. After cooling, the pieces are cleaned and polished. Finally, they are assembled with my handmade silver fittings.
galleries
New collections of my jewellery can be found at the following galleries:
The New Craftsman Gallery, St Ives | Trelissick Gallery, Feock | Tremenheere Sculpture Gardens, Gulval
The Pedestal Gallery, Frome | Quay Arts, Isle of Wight | The Hay Maker’s Gallery, Hay-on-Wye
fairs and festivals
I enjoy spending time away from the studio meeting other creatives, exhibiting at curated art fairs throughout the country. You can stay up to date via my EVENTS page