Raku Pottery by Tom & Nancy Giusti

Please note: The following images are samples of the styles... Each panel will differ.

Wall Hanging Nature Series Panels Approximately 16" h. x 6½" w.
Japanese Maple, $102.	Fern, $102.	OUT OF STOCK Fuchsia, $102.	OUT OF STOCK Redwood, $102.	Grape, $102.

Wall Hanging Pictorial Panels Approximately 16" h. x 6½" w.
OUT OF STOCK Cat, $155.	Cat, $155.	OUT OF STOCK Cat IV, $155.	Cat IV, $155.	OUT OF STOCK Loon, $155.

Giusti: Raku wall hanging - Egret I facing right

Egret I, $155.

Giusti: Raku wall hanging - Egret I facing left

OUT OF STOCK
Egret I, $155.

Giusti: Raku wall hanging - Egret III facing right

OUT OF STOCK
Egret III, $155.

Giusti: Raku wall hanging - Egret III facing left

Egret III, $155.

Wall Hanging Round Panels Approximately 15" diameter
Egret II w/border, $215.	OUT OF STOCK Egret II, $215.
OUT OF STOCK Egret I, $215.	Egret I w/border, $215.

Each raku panel or sculpture is an individual work of art and pieces within a series will vary from the samples shown above.

Artist Info:

Tom and Nancy have been doing Raku Pottery since 1984. As a team, with Nancy's ability to draw and Tom's technical ability to create new shapes for Nancy's wildlife creations, they have created some bright, stunning and refined images to be used on the usually rough and primitive Raku Pottery. They find continuity in the control of the forms with Nancy's drawings and the spontaneity of the glazes reaction in the Raku fire. The copper base glaze is an ever changing contrast surface and it will take on the environment it is exposed to.

Nancy's education includes a B.A. in Art and a Secondary teaching certificate for Art/Science/History from the University of Nevada, and a B.S. in General Biological Sciences from Oregon State University. Nancy spent several years teaching for the Peace Corps in Ghana, where she acquired a greater influence and appreciation for the creation of primitive pottery which has led her into this art form.

Tom spent several years at a junior college taking many art classes in several different mediums. He also learned a second Japanese art form of a different medium at Humboldt State University, that of Gyotaku (fish rubbings). While a member of the Nature Printing Society, he had an opportunity to study the art form from a master Gyotaku artist of Japan, Mr. Takahashi. Tom's background includes many years as a machinist and welder, plus repairing and building many different types of equipment. With this technical background he has been able to design and build much of the equipment used in the family business.

The Raku Fire:

Raku was first used by the Japanese back in the early 1500's to be used exclusively for the tea ceremony that is practiced throughout Japan to this day. The word Raku in early times signified "enjoyment of freedom", today with it being made in great numbers at factories and not by individual craftsmen, the word Raku has come to mean "Low-fired ware with lead based glaze". The pottery is more decorative than useful in the long term, as it is quite soft and fragile. Raku fired pottery made by Americans differs from that of Japanese in that our Raku is heated and buried in combustible materials such as sawdust, leaves and newspapers to give greater contrast and bright vibrant colors to the glazed surfaces.

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