The large raku dish of 23" diameter was born through adversity. Namely the recession of the early 1980's and the narrow parameters I had set myself producing domestic ware with its inevitable muted autumnal colours. Glass with its vibrant colour and surface effects attracted me and I found myself being drawn towards literature on this subject. In the space of 24 hours in early 1981 I experienced a metamorphoses.

I would uncompromisingly produce raku, something which had always excited me. I felt it should be possible to apply the information on glass and couple it to the use of brilliant colour in raku. In fact use the clay as a surface for the deposition of glass with its varied optical qualities.

In 1981 this was very much conjecture as I had no previous examples of such an approach in the field of raku to call upon.

At this time I was also in the process of moving from a small workshop in Bath to the very physical nature of a large 1000 sq. it. workshop situated directly on Brighton beach. This move proved to be enormously beneficial as it enabled me to re-appraise the scale of my work. Most potters / ceramicists are never able to confront this issue due to a shortage of space. We seem to fall into two categories:- "Sit down" or "Stand up". I spent almost a decade sitting down only to discover I work best standing up - preferably in running shoes and shorts. Maybe I will spend the next decade standing up only to discover I should be sitting down again!! So, the move to Brighton encouraged me to work large - and served to develop a more physical approach.

The new technical problems I was encountering with raku were quite severe. Subjecting large flat forms to heat shock - spraying with chemicals whilst red hot to achieve colour enhancement were problematical if not unorthodox.

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Further headaches arose, for example, from wood tar contamination on large glaze surfaces after submitting the red hot piece to sawdust. Inevitably there would be unwanted blemishes. The 'eureka' solution arrived one day with the use of an aluminium 'tin foil', once use shield, so the glaze surface is simply 'smoked'. Technical problems are now resolved and losses are down to an aceptable 5%.

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The decision to concentrate on the development of one form, technically and aesthetically, to the exclusion of all else was unusual. Having now produced 800 dishes it is interesting to note how much energy and commitment one piece will accept. It is almost with regret now that I feel that the large dish has maybe finally 'arrived'. It filled, sustained, and drained me for over 3 years.

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MARKETING

There was a deliberate policy from the outset to produce a 'finished', fully developed item of lasting value. Hopefully it would be profound thereby justifying the use of resources. Coupled with this decision there was also a policy that it should be affordable by most people. I want ceramics to be not only available but attainable.
 

Feedback - repeat orders from galleries - comment from customers and a struggle to meet demand seems to indicate that the above policies are working satisfactorily.