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Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Red Raku Barrels

I thought it was time I showed you the Red and Black Raku Barrel beads that I have been making lately.

The Raku Barrel beads all began when I was trying something out for someone in Australia, and we were trying to come up with a shape and style within some parameters for her.
I've used glass raku frit (tiny shards of crushed glass) for a long time now in my beads, and have always loved it in combination with red and black.  As I understand it, the colours in Raku glass are made by using a lot of metal in the recipe, and that metal is usually silver.  Anyhow, it gives a lovely effect rather like that of tiny pebbles or spice sprinkled around.

Being an ex Cantabrian (that's the province in New Zealand where Christchurch is located, for you folk overseas), I have a penchant for red and black, especially in these post earthquake months, when our hearts go out to the people there.  I wanted to combine them both in some beads but in a kind of subtle way that's more wearable than the usual sporting colours.
So...without further ado...here they are...

This is the first necklace I  made with the smaller shards of raku glass.
And this is the set that I made with the larger shards - I can't decide which I like best!

I've been experimenting with the barrel shape in bigger beads too - here it is in the same True Red and Black, the same as the other ones here.


I think they look vaguely oriental, and because they're smooth and long, they're lovely to wear and quite neat and dainty looking.
There are a few more to look at here.
So, what do you think?




1 comment:

sukipoet said...

these are just gorgeous. black is always so sophisticated i think. I like both sizes, maybe learning toward the smaller shards a fraction. I love raku pottery and i guess it is that metalic sheen that is so alluring.