Tessa Oates

Raku fired Bird Pots

Tessa's 'Bird Pots' are hand built in T-Material and occasionally painted with red oxide or slip. They are then biscuit fired to 1000"C. Selected areas, defining the particular character of the bird, are painted with a resist slip of flint and china clay then a thin coat of transparent glaze.

On cooling the resist slip and glaze fall away revealing the crackle patterns on the clay surface. i.e. There is no glaze on the birds. Post firing treatments include, wax polishing and staining with shellac based colours.

Raku fired ware is not waterproof (or frost proof) but those ‘Bird Pots’ that are designed as planters are ideal for outdoor use as they cannot become waterlogged. For indoor use they can be lined with a strong plastic bag before inserting plants or wet oasis for flower arranging

Guide prices for Raku fired work are-

Runner Ducks, Wall Birds, Small Penguins, Owls are from £45.00 to £70.00

Various Ducks, Puffins, Grebes are from £75.00 to £85.00

King Penguins, Geese from £85.00 to £175.00

 Herons, Cormorants, Egrets, Boobies, Shags, Ground Hornbill from £130.00 to £290.00