Raku Pottery Workshop (on the Property of Dan's Parents)
NIGHTTIME RAKU WORKSHOP EXPERIENCE — Six Different Workshops in 2026 Alpine, Utah | 18 Spots Per Workshop | Clay Hole Members Only DATE & TIME: Friday August 21st, 2026 8:00PM SHARP On the evening of August 21st, you’re invited to experience the ultimate thrill in pottery. An exclusive nighttime raku workshop will be held on the property of Dan's parents (in Alpine), where we’ll turn flame, smoke, and delightful chaos into absolute ceramic beauty... In the darkness of night! This workshop will be limited to just 18 members. It’s hands-on. It’s high-stakes. It’s one of the most rewarding processes a potter can experience. And raku at night? Well, it's just different and one of the coolest things you'll ever do. The pottery is glowing red hot (almost 2000 degrees) when we open the kiln. The fire is just nicer at night. The camaraderie is just better. The experience is just a lot more magic. And, we're probably only doing this in the evening once per year (since it requires hanging around until 2 or 3 AM). 🔥 What Raku Is (And Why It’s Magic) Raku isn’t just a firing technique... It’s an event. A ritual. A dance with heat, adrenaline, smoke, and flame. In this workshop, we’ll use propane-fired kilns to superheat pots until they glow red-hot, then pull them directly from the fire using long tongs. The pots are then dropped into combustible materials—usually sawdust, newspaper, or other organic matter - where they ignite instantly, shrouding the pottery in flame and smoke. Within seconds, glazes flash. Carbon traps. Metallics bloom. And the unpredictable becomes art. No other method in ceramics produces effects like raku. You’ll see copper glazes shift to oil-slick greens and reds. You’ll witness turquoise halos next to smoky black crackles. Some surfaces turn to silver or iridescent steel. Others trap smoke in the finest of cracks, creating veining that looks like something unearthed from ancient ruins. It’s surface magic - born of chaos and chemistry - and the beauty is impossible to replicate through any other firing style. 💥 Adrenaline Meets Community There’s no waiting for days to see the results. In raku, you get to hold your finished work as soon as the process is done. It's a process that demands focus, speed, and courage. And when you’re shoulder-to-shoulder with other potters in the heat, cheering each other on as pots emerge from the flames, it becomes more than a firing. It becomes connection. These workshops are designed to deepen that community. We work together. We fire together. We eat, we clean, and we share the joy (and heartbreak) of what comes out of the kiln together. No two pots come out alike. No two experiences are the same. And something about going through it side-by-side—on a driveway of all places—brings us closer as artists and friends. 🛠️ Workshop Details Date Options: June 28, July 26, or August 16 (choose your date from the drop-down). Time: Meet at the property in Alpine at 8:30 AM sharp. Workshop runs 6 to 10 hours, depending on firing rhythm. Location: The property of Dan's parents in Alpine, Utah. (Exact address provided after sign-up.) 🎨 Prepping Your Pots All pots must be: Previously bisqued Glazed with raku-specific glazes Made using B-Mix with Grog clay You may bring: Up to 4 tall, skinny pieces, or Up to 2 wider pieces Total combined width of all pieces must not exceed 34 inches You may prep pieces on-site the night before: Members can use the workshop side of The Clay Hole Friday night to glaze or add resists. (Singles must stay on the singles side.) 🏺 Don’t Have Pots Ready? You may purchase high-quality, wheel-thrown bisqued pieces from The Clay Hole. Prices range from $30–$250. Members who want to purchase pre-made vessels will choose in the order they signed up. Let Dan know if you want to purchase any pots for raku. Here are the pots available currently (noting that we will make more for each workshop): 🧯 Safety + Participation All participants must sign a raku liability waiver and follow safety protocols. All required safety gear is provided by Dan. Only members or paused members of The Clay Hole may attend. Each person may place one pot per firing. Full-day attendance is required. Everyone must help with cleanup at the end of the workshop. 🍕 Food + Drinks Bring your own lunch and drinks. You may choose to pitch in for a group pizza order. There’s a beverage fridge in the garage to keep drinks cold. ⚠️ Final Notes Only 18 spots available per workshop. First come, first serve. No exceptions. No guarantees with raku: Pots may crack, glazes may shift. The beauty is in the unpredictability. Once you've booked your reservation, there are no refunds for any reason. Feel free to sell your spot to someone else in class (for the same cost or less) that you paid for it. If you're ready to feel the heat, see instant transformation, and take part in one of the most thrilling techniques in pottery—this is it. This is raku. This is your summer.