Tanglefae, shaped by fire, smoke, and the tangled magic of the hedgerow.
 
‘Tanglefae’ has been created using a process called naked raku. The “naked” refers to the absence of glaze — her shine and soft markings come entirely from the clay itself and from smoke absorbed into the surface after firing.
After applying layered slip, I place handmade paper stencils across her body to create areas where smoke can permeate more deeply. When the clay meets the smoke, these masked patterns reveal themselves as subtle, organic markings on her surface.
 
These Hares began life as a hand-built sculpture inspired by the hare character I carve into my sgraffito pieces. Seeing her come alive in three dimensions was magical. From this original hare, I created a mould so I could bring more hares into being. Each one is slipcast in two pieces, joined and carefully fettled by hand.
 
Once fully dry, I apply multiple coats of Terra Sigillata — an ultra-refined liquid clay — polishing each layer until a soft, natural shine develops. She is then bisque fired before being prepared for the raku kiln.
 
When the firing is complete, the glowing hot hare is placed into a container of combustible materials. The heat ignites them instantly; the lid is closed, and the smoke is drawn into the porous clay, creating the smoke patterns and tones unique to each hare. After reduction, each hare is cleaned, sealed, and finished with a protective wax polish.
 
'Tanglefae' measures approximately 225mm long x 180mm tall x 110mm wide.
 
Raku-fired pieces go through an extraordinary journey — flame, smoke, and air all leave their mark, creating surfaces that can never be repeated. As these hares have no glaze, they should be kept out of direct sunlight to prevent fading, and polished gently with wax once or twice a year to maintain their sheen.
Any little irregularities are simply part of their wild, handmade charm.