The Jewels of Atlantis
The ribbon above displays the beauty of the Jewels of Atlantis series, which comes from the myriad of metallic lusters and gold-encrusted on the surface of each raku piece. Individually crafted decorative lids adorn many of the pieces as statements of originality and beauty. This is by far the most difficult and hardest technique to control I do and pieces are often fired multiple times to achieve the finished product. It is also the most unique style. There are many techniques of Raku pottery shared by many artisans, but this technique is not something you will easily find, and to the best of my knowledge, it is shared by myself and one other artist. Please look at these pieces closely in the Shop to fully appreciate the glistening of the encrusted reflective gold on the surface.
I was an avid fantasy reader in my youth. In creating this series, I imagined that these pieces are like relics of the fabled lost Kingdom of Atlantis that fell into the ocean after the destruction of the city. Over time and with the volcanic heat of the cataclysm, the gold of the city adhered on the cratered surface of the pieces. The result is the melted gold and reflective golden jewels that adhere to the forms. Even the colors of the glazes and distinctive jewel-like lids that adorn the pieces are the legacies of the once renowned potters of Atlantis. Imagination makes life interesting and sometimes beautiful. It's not necessary that you play along with my Atlantis fantasy. Hopefully, though, you find them as beautiful and pleasing to the eye as I do.
Examples of the major Jewels of Atlantis forms appear above. Visit the Shop now to see all Jewels of Atlantis and other styles of Raku.