Bertie Franke

The final lesson of the course culminated in the firing of all the raku and bucchero pieces in the outdoor Raku kiln. Heated to approximately 960 degrees Celsius, the kiln transformed our creations. Our teacher, clad in protective gear and a gas mask, extracted the glowing pieces with pliers and plunged them into a barrel filled with sawdust. As the sawdust ignited, the lid was sealed, trapping the smoke within the barrel. While the children observed this magical process from a safe distance, the thermal shock of the rapid cooling caused the glazes to crack and the smoke to darken the unglazed surfaces. The striking contrast between the vibrant glazes and the deep black hues was truly breathtaking when the pieces were taken out of the barrels to cool down completely.   The bucchero pieces underwent a similar firing process, emerging with a rich, smoky black color. At the end of the lesson, each child proudly carried home their unique artwork. As we concluded this course, we also finished the final chapter of our fairytale. A Toast The following dawn, the twins entered the forest, dragging a heavy basket. The excitement overwhelmed them, suspended between the wait and the curiosity to discover the result of their work. When they reached the cave, they found the entrance deserted. “Are we too early?” asked Marika, but Mirko, more reckless, climbed onto a rock and peered inside. “Let’s wait here,” he concluded. They did not have to wait long. The Elf appeared, beaming: “Good morning, little artists! You are early!” The twins, impatient and a little nervous, showed her the basket full of provisions. “A banquet to celebrate!”, exclaimed the Nymph, who arrived shortly after with the Fairy. Suddenly, a roar echoed from the cave. The dragon, flaming and imposing, made its appearance. “It’s time to reveal the mystery!”, exclaimed the Elf. Gently, she began to remove the earth from the hole where they had fired their work yesterday. “Can you help me!”, she invited the twins. Mirko and Marika touched the still warm earth. Marika, with trembling hands, discovered something solid. Carefully, she swept away the ash and there, before her eyes, she saw her little bird again, transformed into a splendid sculpture with a bright yellow color. “It’s wonderful!”, she exclaimed, delicately caressing the work. Mirko also found his blue shark, more threatening and fascinating than ever.   The dragon, looking at their radiant faces, roared with satisfaction. “You are true artists!”, he complimented them. “You have created beautiful creations.” The Fairy, with a wave of her magic wand, set up an outdoor banquet. While they enjoyed the delicacies, the dragon proposed a toast: “To the creativity of our young artists! May your works continue to amaze us!”

This week, we transformed our clay creations into colorful masterpieces while glazing the animal sculptures and small bowls we’d created previously. The plates and vases will be fired as unglazed bucchero ware, while the Christmas decorations will be glazed and fired in the electric kiln next week. To prepare for glazing, we carefully masked off the heads, tails, fins, and legs of our animal sculptures, as well as the bases of our bowls, to keep these areas clean. After confirming our chosen glaze colors, we used a pouring jug to apply the glaze. It was fascinating to watch the liquid glaze instantly absorb into the clay, leaving behind a layer of colorful powder. We can’t wait to see the final results after the raku firing next week!   Unfortunately, we got so caught up in the glazing fun that we neglected our fairytale. But luckily we still have one more lesson to finish the story!

This was the final session for working with clay. In the next two lessons, we’ll glaze and fire all the pieces. Students who chose to work on vases learned to polish their surfaces to a high shine. Others decorated their Christmas ornaments. Everyone was enthusiastic, and all the artwork is now ready for its first firing in the kiln later this week. As usual at the end of the lesson we completed the next chapter of our fairytail. The spectacle After two days, the twins returned to the Dragon’s Cave to get their ceramic animals. “I hope he’s in a good mood,” Mirko said to his sister. As they approached, they heard voices coming from the cave. “He’s not alone,” Marika whispered, relieved. They entered the clearing in front of the cave and found the elf welcoming them with open arms: “Here they are, our artists!” With them were also the fairy Marilù and the nymph Giada. “Welcome to the spectacle,” roared the dragon, with a smile that lit up his eyes. On the table, a myriad of colorful jars and a large jug of water intrigued the twins. “What kind of spectacle is this?” asked Mirko. “We are going to fire your animals,” replied the dragon. “But isn’t the firing already done?” protested Marika, confused. “Yes, yes, once, but we are going to fire it a second time to glaze your work,” explained the dragon.   The nymph invited them to prepare the glazes. “What colors should the bird and the shark have?” asked the nymph. “The shark blue and the bird yellow!” the twins answered in unison. With expert hands, the nymph mixed the colored powders with water. “I also brought some wax,” said the fairy, “for the parts that need to stay black.” With a brush, the twins began to cover the noses, tails, and fins. Then it was time to apply the glazes. With her tongue between her teeth, Marika poured the glaze on the bird, and Mirko did the same. “And now?” asked Marika. The elf dug a hole in the ground and placed branches, moss, and dry leaves in it. “Let’s put the animals in here,” she said. “Now it’s the dragon’s turn,” she announced mysteriously.   The dragon rose up in all its majesty. “Everyone back!” he shouted. He took a deep breath and a huge flame came out of his mouth, setting the hole alight. He continued to blow, raising the temperature inside. Mirko and Marika watched with their mouths open. “It’s really a spectacle!,” Mirko exclaimed. After an hour, the elf covered the hole with earth. Smoke began to come out. The twins gave a big round of applause. “We’ve finished the second cooking,” the elf announced. “Who wants some lemonade?” the nymph suggested. “Me!” they both shouted. “Now we have to be a little patient, tomorrow we’ll open the hole,” said the elf. “I can’t wait!” Marika exclaimed, her eyes shining with excitement.  

Alessio surprised us all by bringing bucchero pottery to the studio. These 20th-century replicas of later Etruscan artworks were truly awe-inspiring. We were able to touch and admire the delicate decorations, created with a unique tool made from a hare’s whisker. Inspired by the bucchero vases, one group continued to coil their vases, focusing on crafting elegant necks. The other group finished their plates by finishing the edges nicely and adding a border underneath the plate. Their excitement for the upcoming Christmas project was palpable as they eagerly began cutting snowmen, stars, trees, and snowflakes from the clay. To conclude the lesson, we collectively reviewed the fourth chapter of our fairytale story. An Exciting Visit   For two weeks, Mirko and Marika returned to the rock to check on their clay animals. Every day, the color changed slightly, from dark gray to a delicate white. And every day, the fairy awaited them, singing a sweet melody. “How are our masterpieces?” Mirko asked one day, with a beaming smile. “I think they’re ready to be fired,” Marilù replied. “Fantastic!” Marika exclaimed, clapping her hands. “We’ll take them home to fire them in the kitchen oven!” But the fairy shook her head, worried. “Ceramics are fired in a special oven, not at home!” “But where do we find such an oven?” Marika asked, perplexed. “On the other side of the forest, in the dragon’s cave,” the fairy replied. Mirko and Marika exchanged a worried look. “Do we have to go to the dragon?” Mirko asked. “He’s a little grumpy, but he’s not bad,” Marilu reassured them. They prepared a soft basket for their animals and, after saying goodbye to the fairy, they set off towards the cave.   When they arrived, they found the dragon asleep in front of the entrance, with a little smoke coming out of his nostrils with every breath. Marika shivered. “Are you scared?” Mirko asked her. “A little,” she replied. “Should we wake him up?” At that moment, the dragon opened one eye and asked, “What do you want?” “We brought our sculptures to bake them in your oven,” Mirko explained, trying to remain calm. “Then you’re in the right place,” the dragon replied, standing up. “Come in, the oven is over there.”   With shaking legs, the twins followed the dragon into the cave. “What beautiful creatures,” the dragon commented, admiring their creations. Carefully, he placed them in a large, red-hot oven. “First they cook, then they have to cool slowly.” “How long will it take?” Marika asked. “About two days,” the dragon replied. “See you then,” Mirko said. “Bye!” Marika shouted, as they ran out of the cave. After a hundred meters they stop, in the shade of a huge tree, the excitement overwhelming them. “He is even more mysterious than we imagined,” Marika exclaimed, her eyes sparkling. Mirko, despite feeling his heart beating wildly, forced a smile. “Yes, I can’t wait to go back,” he said coldly, but a shiver ran down his spine.