Raku and Watermelon
• 10 Jul 2026
Years ago, we acquired a beautiful Raku kiln, but at our old studio location in Horsforth, we just didn’t have the outdoor space required for this dramatic firing technique. One of the things we were most excited about when we moved our Leeds pottery studio to Swinnow Grange Mills was finally having the perfect setup to run it!
To help get our kiln up and running safely, we called in the expert help of Claude Frere-Smith (CFS Ceramics), who travelled down from Saltburn to spend the day training us. The Firefly team threw and bisque-fired a selection of pots, ready to experiment with a variety of specialised Raku glazes and oxides.
It turned out to be another lovely, hot, sunny day in West Leeds—perfect for hovering around a roaring gas burner! After getting suited up in our safety gear, we eagerly loaded the kiln.
Raku is an ancient Japanese firing method that is fast, furious, and incredibly exciting. Unlike traditional pottery where pieces cool down slowly inside a closed kiln over many hours, Raku pots are heated rapidly to around 1,000°C.
Once the glaze has melted into a molten, "shiny" surface, the glowing, red-hot pots are pulled directly from the kiln using long metal tongs. They are immediately placed into a reduction chamber—in our case, a fire box lined with combustible sawdust—and sealed with a lid. The intense heat ignites the sawdust, starving the chamber of oxygen. This chemical reaction forces the flames to draw oxygen directly out of the clay and glazes, creating unpredictable, beautiful metallic finishes, rich crackle glazes, and deep, smoky black unglazed clay.
While the carbonisation worked its magic inside the fire box, we made good use of the time enjoying some delicious, refreshing watermelon. After about 15 minutes of anticipation, we pulled the pots out of the smoke and dowsed them in cold water, ready for a good scrub to reveal the hidden colours beneath the soot.
We were absolutely delighted by the stunning range of results we achieved, and we can’t wait to guide you on your own creative journey from beginner to maker.
Whether you are looking for a fun weekend workshop or a comprehensive pottery class, our goal is to be your first choice for pottery experiences in Yorkshire. We will be announcing the dates for our very first Raku class sessions in the near future! Spaces will be highly limited, so please drop us an email if you’d like to be placed on our priority notification list.