Julie Risak multicolor raku-fired sculptural teapot. Signed on the base. Extremely fragile work of art.
Size: Approximately 8" tall at the tallest point x 6" wide at the widest point.
Julie and Ed Risak (1950-2017) are the owners of Risak Pottery Studio, located in Marquette, Michigan. Both Julie and Ed specialize(d) in producing handmade raku pottery. Raku is a 16th-century Japanese technique of firing pottery. The process involves quick firing and rapid cooling. The Risaks' work is known for its iridescent colors created with sprayed-on metallic matte glazes.
A nearly-identical Risak teapot was featured in a New York Times article on Dr. Unjeria Jackson's private collection of more than 1,400 teapots. Risak's creation, along with 160 other teapots from Jackson's private collection, was previously displayed at the Morris Museum (a Smithsonian affiliate) in Morris Township, New Jersey.