RAKU POTTERY WITH LEAF AND NATURE IMAGES

Nancy Briggs has been on the faculty of the Des Moines Art Center since 1986 and currently teaches ceramics to adults and children. Her work has been shown in regional and national juried exhibitions.

Using the raku pottery technique, Nancy is able to give her pottery and sculpture a mysterious, ancient quality. The pottery is quickly heated to melt the glaze, then is removed from the kiln while red hot and placed in beds of sawdust to smoke the wares. This smoking gives the clay its black color and the glazes their rich metallic look. Due to the process, raku pottery is therefore fragile and porous.