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BIOGRAPHY
Ronald D.Patterson majored in ceramics and sculpture at California State University Long Beach in the 1970’s. After 15 years of production pottery Ron moved to Sechelt, British Columbia and began experimenting with the Japanese method of “ Raku”, which originated with the Zen Buddhist Tea Ceremony.
Ron has been perfecting his techniques over the past 20 years. His line of pots include masks, baskets, vessels and wishing jars, all distinctively unique and without duplication.
Ron has moved back to Reno where he started his first pottery in 1975. Ron enjoys sharing his knowledge and techniques and regularly conducts workshops in his studio.
Ron is thrilled to be back in the high desert hiking in the Sierra with his high school sweetheart and their dog Rome.
TECHNICAL STATEMENT
The western style of Raku has changed greatly in the last 40 years. The glazes are copper based and have a wide temperature range. My Raku glazes are fast fired in a small gas kiln and when the glazes melt the pots are pulled out and put into buckets with sawdust. Copper is green in nature, but when the red hot pots are put into the buckets with a tight fitting lid, all the oxygen is used up by the fire that is created. The pots all turn a copper penny color inside the bucket. By letting in small amounts of oxygen as the pots cool, this facilitates the glaze in wanting to return back to the color green. The colors achieved in Raku are all the colors between copper and green. I have developed a technique where I use two different glazes which melt at different temperatures. I have found this combination much more conducive to a beautiful pallet of color.
ARTIST STATEMENT
Since 1970 when I threw my first pot I have always been fascinated with the workability of clay and it’s transformation to a functional piece of everyday life. My journey to nonfunctional pottery was a personal struggle at first. I now love to hear people tell me how they made wishes in my wishing jars and how much joy they have gotten from my work.
Making Raku is like Christmas day every time you fire, pulling the work out of the bucket is like unwrapping a gift , you just never get tired of it! Each new firing is like a beautiful trail at Lake Tahoe that beckons you to go just a little further, and so you do.
Click here to see the artist at work in his process.
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