NAKED RAKU CERAMICS – ARTIST SPOTLIGHT

…as seen on The Great Pottery Throw Down!

Naked Raku is a variation of the raku technique in which a slip is applied to the ceramics before they are placed into the raku kiln. The slip cracks and breaks apart during the firing and is chipped off after to reveal a blackened crackle pattern. One of our in-house ceramic artists Denis Di Luca figured out a way of adding some colour and drawn imagery in the naked raku technique. 

Since his childhood in Urbino, Italy, when he started to make wooden toys at home, Denis has been passionate about creating new things. Choosing to study industrial design at the University in San Marino was a natural progression for him. He soon became interested in ceramics and in the possibilities of combining clay with other materials, using specialist firing techniques to produce contemporary ceramic art. 

​Denis has studied with many master potters, exploring experimental techniques. He has even built his own raku kiln to refine the specific firing technique that produces a distinctive cracking effect in the final glaze. The spirit of Raku embraces the 4 elements: earth, air, fire, and water, and creates objects as unique as those made by nature itself.

His shapes express the minimalist style, which is characteristic of his interpretation of design. Each piece he creates is unique – a fusion of Italian design influences and traditional ceramic techniques adapted for contemporary tastes. The result is highly individual for your visual enjoyment. Every piece that Denis creates is an expression of his art, using contrasting surfaces, such as rough together with smooth, or a range of different colour tones.

Denis is continuously refining and developing his skills: Raku and Naked Raku – which allows him to create amazing patterns: Raku Dolce – the traditional coral clay method from Arezzo; Saggar – using a container to protect the piece during firing; Obvara and Baltic Raku – which uses flour and yeast during firing; Horsehair, Stoneware and many others.
Denis currently works from a fully equipped studio set in the heart of the stunning Urbino countryside.

You were not leaving your cart just like that, right?

Enter your details below to save your shopping cart for later. And, who knows, maybe we will even send you a sweet discount code :)