The Peru Gazette

Peru Art Teacher Erik Wilson led the demonstration.  Here he’s removing objects from the 1800+ degree kiln.

Wilson quickly moved the objects from the kiln to be cooled.

The kilm that brings the pottery to 1800 degree plus temperatures.

By John T Ryan 

Oct. 25, 2023 – Peru Central School – Tuesday’s outside temperatures were cool at Peru’s athletic field yesterday, but students had a nearby heat source – a pottery kiln firing at temperatures between 1800 and 2000 degrees. The Peru High School Art Department invited students from Saranac Lake, Ausable Valley, and Beekmantown to participate in a demonstration of a Japanese pottery technique called Raku.  

Author Beth Peterson described the process: “Raku firing is one of the most natural techniques that you can encounter in pottery. In raku firing, all of nature’s elements are used: earth, fire, air, and water. The earth is used to make the pot, then it’s put into a reduction chamber kiln, then plunged into water. The cold water halts the firing process. A lovely fact about raku is that its name literally translates as ‘happiness in the accident.’” The “accidental” result is a random but beautiful colorization in the glaze. 

Fashioning a small cat

Students brought their work to the firing. Peru’s Honor Society is donating the ceramic cats students made to the Cat Art Show, sponsored by Chapter One Coffee Shop and the Strand, to support the Elmore SPCA.

Click here for an excellent Sun Community News article 

Click here to view an excellent MYNBC5 story 

Click here to read an excellent Press-Republican story. 

Beautiful Raku pottery

Working on the cats that will ultimately be sold to benefit the Elmore SPCA.