Davis Vachon Purple Raku Lunar Vessel with Stopper / Circa 1988-Present

I saw this at GW yesterday and thought it was really unusual. Didn't get it because it was damaged, Went back today and it was still there and bought it for three dollars. A little voice just kept nagging me "you'll be sorry if you don't." It's thin form is called a "Lunar Vessel".Very Asian in style. The little stopper in the middle lifts out kind of like and iron gate between the two uprights. Sadly one of the little details got knock off (damn GW ). The top is very delicate bisque. The body is a royal purple with a raku crackle glaze that's achieved by thermal shocking the piece after it's fired. It's signed Vachon on the bottom. That's what made me think twice. Anything signed that is this nice must be special. I looked it up when I got home. It's a really expensive piece of raku pottery by a couple Steve and Sue Davis Vachon ,who started their raku pottery business in 1988.They sell similar pieces on their site for between two to five hundred dollars depending on the size. This one is 11 1/2 " the biggest ones are 17" the smallest are 8 1/2". This probably would have been a three hundred dollar piece before the damage. Maybe I can write them and get it repaired. Actually they're suppose to be at Cain Park Arts Festival July 12 - 14 - in Cleveland Heights, OH. It would be kind of nice to meet them and bring this along. I love it despite the damage ! -Mike-

ABOUT US
Courtesy of the Vachon Arts website / www.vachonarts.com

Working with clay gives us a great freedom and an ever expanding range of possibilities. We have many interests, from contemporary whimsy to vessels inspired by mysterious artifacts from ancient cultures. We want to keep the joy of discovery alive. Our work combines beautiful and unusual color with dramatic shapes.
After being professional independent artists, we gradually began collaborative work and find it an enriching process in the ways that we can inspire each other.
Sue began as a painter. Color and surface decoration are her primary interests. Steve’s interests are the challenge of creating distinctive, expressive shapes and the discovery of glazes to enhance the surfaces.
We are both full time artists. Steve earned a BFA at Indiana-Purdue University at Fort Wayne and is an artist in residence at Weisser Park School. Sue has taught watercolor at Indiana Purdue University at Fort Wayne and is director of Orchard Gallery of Fine Art in Fort Wayne.
Our works can be seen in various private and public collections throughout the world.

Steve Vachon & Sue Davis Vachon

About Raku :

All of our work is designed, hand formed, glazed and fired by us. Our work is either assembled from slabs of clay, hand formed or wheelthrown. After the clay is dry, it is bisque fired in an electric kiln. Next the glaze is applied. Some areas are left unglazed.
Our primary method of firing is a process called raku. We do this outdoors in a kiln specially designed to allow quick removal of the pottery. After the kiln reaches approximately 1800 degrees and the glaze is smooth and glossy the pottery is removed. Thermal shock causes the glaze to crackle. Still glowing with intense heat, the pottery is placed on a bed of sawdust and paper which burst into flames. Then the piece is covered with a container to deprive the flames of oxygen. This produces a smoky atmosphere inside the container where carbon is absorbed into the unglazed clay and the crackled glaze. Each piece has its own distinct crackle pattern and is unique in the way the carbon darkens the clay.

Raku work is NOT designed to hold water or food.

We hope that our work gives you enjoyment and inspiration.