We will be showcasing some of the wonderful items that have been donated to the Homecoming Auction starting with three Raku masks hand-made by our guest Garwin Sanford.
The masks are called 'Rage' for the one with the open mouth scream and the one with the head dress is 'Wisdom' while the larger piece is 'Siren'. Garwin says "the hair is stylized sea foam and the dress is meant to be kelp. I thought that seeing it is for Sea Shepherd that this piece was appropriate."
RAGE
WISDOM
SIREN "All these pieces are Raku clay and glazes which are fired in an outdoor kiln where I reach in to a 1800 degree oven. I take the pieces out with my hands in leather and kevlar gloves and face protection to carry them from the kiln to the raku table where I place the pieces in wood shavings on a bed of sand.
It ignites the shavings and I place a cover over the piece to smother the fire. However the 1800 degree clay on shavings wants to burn so it quickly uses up the oxygen in the cover and then begins to draw oxygen out of the glaze and clay. At what is determined to be the ideal time I remove the cover and as oxygen returns to the glaze it blooms with colour where I must cool it immediately to freeze the bloom where I deem it to be ideal.
I spray it with water to set the colour. It is a very dynamic process, holding 1800 degree clay in your hands is a visceral experince to say the least as it is like having a living thing in your hands as it glows red hot."
The main Homecoming Auction takes place in the evening of Saturday 10th September 2016 with silent auctions running at other times during the event.
