Cole Harrington

From the Earch | Pottery, 2025

Pottery is an expression of autonomy and resistance for me in a world that often feels hostile and unaccepting. The process of wheel throwing, glazing and firing are highly dynamic and offer only a certain level of control and predictability. The surprise and the uniqueness of each piece and ability to experiment with different techniques is what I love about pottery.

This piece is made from an ancient technique called Raku originating in the 17th century in Japan. Raku pieces are fired in gas kilns outdoors at high temperatures (1000 Celsius), taken quickly out of the kiln and placed in a metal container of combustible material (newspaper, sawdust, straw) where the reduction atmosphere creates colors and patterns on the clay body. This piece was made with a technique in Raku called naked Raku in the which slip (clay mixed with water) instead of glaze is brushed onto the clay body and dried prior to firing. In the reduction chamber cracks in the slip form allowing for carbon deposits and after cooling the dried slip is removed to reveal the piece underneath. This piece is Naked, from the earth, as we all are.

Cole is faculty with the Neurology Department.