CASEY HANKIN
CERAMIC ARTIST
Specializing in Raku Ceramics
casey@theclaycenter.com

I specialize in the Raku firing technique. My work embodies many wheel-thrown forms, ranging from bowls and vases to lidded vessels and large works.

Raku was developed in Japan over 400 years ago as a method of firing the ceremonial tea ware of the Zen Buddhist Masters. Raku's simplicity and its deliberate avoidance of lavishness was appreciated by the Masters. Raku is non-functional, meaning that it is not water tight, as would be a flower vase or coffee mug, for example. Unlike functional pottery, it should be enjoyed primarily for its beauty. It is believed that if the artist is self-aware when creating the Raku form, then he gives it his own spirit and meaning.

Raku involves a very personal and daring process where a form is handled by the artist at about 1800 degrees Farenheit, and is placed into an "oxygen reduction atmosphere" or an airtight chamber. If it survives the thermal shock, the handler may achieve desired qualities and colors in his work by manipulating various factors such as presence or lack of oxygen during the cooling process, quickness in cooling or post-firing treatments.

My forms are more of a process than a "thing" to me, and a finished product seems to have something to say. My forms are unique to Raku in that I try to achieve a sort of manmade elegance in my form, which is then grounded by the earthly quality of the Raku process. For me, this is a perfect form of self-expression. I do not strive to stick with any prescribed tradition as a Raku artist; rather, my goals are in a design that means something to me specifically.

Because my art is my passion, I will continue to transform my pieces as I change. When I work, I challenge myself constantly to achieve a higher level of intensity in my design.