Raku Ho‘olule‘a 2006 - Guest Artist Recap
I always consider it an honor to share my work with other artists, considering the fact that our
creativity is enhanced collectively by the quality of the individual work that we all do. On this
particular occasion the experience was even more gratifying because something special always happens
when one gets an opportunity to mingle with and get to know people beyond a single meeting. Beyond
giving a lecture and demonstration, the extra time spent camping out and participating in the Raku
“marathon” with members truly was a rich experience. I was especially encouraged to pursue further
the fusion of firing styles I explored during the camp out.
I commend Hawai‘i Craftsmen for being so efficiently and splendidly organized. In my travels I have
encountered a great number of similar organizations and yours ranks amongst the very best organized
groups that I have met so far. I was struck most by the inclusion of the children in your activities
and exhibition. It is always wise to secure the future by encouraging and preparing the young ones
of today to carry the vision of the future. In this practice you are indeed wealthy.
I look back with fond memories on my experience with you knowing that the future holds only the best
for you. I am thankful to you as a group and individually for your kindness.
Mahalo,
Ernest Aryee
Raku Ho‘olaule‘a 2006 Schedule
May 13, Saturday
Tea Bowl Workshop, 10 am-5 pm
East West Center Tea House, 10 am-noon
University of Hawai‘i Ceramics Lab, noon-5 pm
Lecture and Hands-on by Urasenke Foundation and Ed Higa
June 5, Monday
Free Public Slide Lecture
Reception 5:30 pm, Honolulu Academy of Arts courtyard
Lecture 6:30 pm, Honolulu Academy of Arts Theatre
June 6, Tuesday
Wet Clay Demonstration and Potluck, 5 pm-9 pm
Windward Community College Ceramics Lab
June 9- June 12, Friday- Monday
Raku Ho‘olaule‘a Weekend Event, Camping and Beachside Firing
Waimanalo Bay Beach Park, Kalani‘ana‘ole Highway, Makai of Waimanalo Polo Fields
June 9, Friday
7 am highway front gate open
1 pm-4 pm inside gate chain open, vehicles allowed on grass for moving heavy
equipment
8 pm highway front gate locked. NO GATE OPENING AFTER 8 PM
June 10, Saturday
7 am highway front gate open
9 am let the firing begin!
9 am-12 pm inside gate chain open, vehicles allowed on grass for moving heavy equipment
1:15 pm group leader meeting
1:30 pm community kiln set-up
5 pm-6 pm meet the artists – Ernest Aryee – at the park pavilion
Sunset blessing of the event
8 pm highway front gate locked. NO GATE OPENING AFTER 8 PM
June 11, Sunday
7 am highway front gate open
9 am-1 pm community kiln
9 am-1 pm pottery demonstrations and contests
1 pm- 3 pm guest artist, Ernest Aryee, informal sharing, location TBA
8 pm highway front gate locked. NO GATE OPENING AFTER 8 PM
Midnight pot drop challenge with Russell Wee
Juried by Ernest Aryee and the Urasenke Foundation
June 12, Monday
7 am highway front gate open
8 am all raku firing ends, begin park clean up
8:30 am-10 am receive entries for jurying
10 am-11:30 am jurying of entries
12 pm juror’s statement, awards, mahalos and raffle
1 pm-4 pm inside gate chain open, vehicles allowed on grass for moving heavy equipment
4 pm all cars moved off grass parking area, even if you are camping thru Monday
4:15 pm all participants walk the beach and park for clean up
8 pm highway front gate locked. NO GATE OPENING AFTER 8 PM
July 1, Saturday, 9 am-1pm
Accepted work drop off, The ARTS at Marks Garage, 1159 Nuuanu Ave.
Corner of Nuuanu and Pauahi, downtown Honolulu
July 5 –29, Raku Ho‘olaule‘a Juried Exhibit
July 7, 5-9 pm, First Friday Celebration and Special Event, The ARTS at Marks Garage
July 13, Thursday, 5:30 pm-7:30 pm
Artist’s Reception and Tea Ceremony Demonstration
The ARTS at Marks Garage, 1159 Nuuanu Ave.
Corner of Nuuanu and Pauahi, downtown Honolulu
Participation in Juried Exhibition
Pre-made bisque pieces made
and glazed by the entrant are eligible for entry. Pieces entered for jurying must be fired by the
entrant at the Raku Ho‘olaule‘a 2006 site. Each registered participant must complete an entry form
and may enter a total of four pieces. A minimum of one of the four entries must be of the
traditional tea ceremony category (i.e. tea bowl, waste water container, fresh water container, tea
caddy, sweets dish, vase, etc.) Works will be selected for the categories of contemporary and
keiki’s exhibition by guest artist Ernest Aryee. A representative of the Urasenke Foundation will
jury the traditional tea category.
Rules
and Regulations
Raku Ho‘olaule‘a is open to
the public; however, firing participants and all overnight campers must register as individuals or
as part of a group. If you wish to form a group (eight or more), you will need a group leader
representative and provide your own equipment and supplies. Individuals who register to fire will be
assigned to a group. Only registered firing participants may fire and enter the juried competition.
While no camping or registration fee is required for families and friends who are just camping,
everyone must be registered. A monetary donation - $10 per family/tent - would be greatly
appreciated.
Assigned Camping Areas
Camping space will be available Friday through Monday, June 9 – June 12. Each group will be assigned a camping area that
is adjacent to their assigned firing area. Size and placement of areas is based on group preference
and size of group. Every effort will be made to accommodate group requests, however, sometimes the
size of the beach is a determining factor. Please try to keep your group within your assigned area.
Provide an identifying banner for your assigned camping and firing area.
Waimanalo Bay Beach Park Camping Rules
Everybody is responsible that the camping impact on Waimanalo is minimal. These are City and County Park rules and they will be enforced.
Front Gate (out by highway)
Opened at 7AM / Front Gate Locked at 8 PM
NO GATE OPENING AFTER 8 PM
No alcoholic beverages
No pets in the park
No drums after 10 pm, keep noise down
Do not build fires or cook on the grass. Keep fires away from trees and tents.
No nails in trees
Dispose of wash (and glaze) water in sinks at restrooms; do not dump in sand or ocean.
Use plastic garbage bags for trash and take to the dumpster throughout the weekend.
Loading and Unloading
Only pre-registered vehicles will be allowed in the camping area for loading and unloading on Thursday, Friday and Sunday. Check
with your group leader for details and accommodations needed if disabled.
Parking
Overnight parking will be available in designated parking areas only. Obtain car registration form from your group leader and
display in front window of each vehicle. Keep access road clear for emergency vehicles.
Refundable Security Deposit and Beach Clean Up
A $75 refundable deposit is
required from each group to insure adequate beach clean up and participation in the community kiln
setup, firing and breakdown. Separate from individual area breakdown and clean up is a group beach
clean up - scheduled for Monday, June 12 at 4:15 pm sharp. Groups should plan accordingly; the
deposit refund is dependent upon participation. Let’s recycle cans and bottles!
Beach Firing
Each group will be assigned a beach firing area. Kilns and pit fire containers must be elevated above the surface to minimize
scorching the beach. Reduction barrels/cans must be elevated or placed on kiln shelving/bricks. All
reduction material must be disposed of in the dumpster. Do not pour glaze rinse water in the sand or
ocean. Groups are responsible for keeping beach areas clean during the weekend.
Participating Groups Provide
Four bisque tea bowls (3” high x 5” wide) per applicant; inscribed with any two BLOCK initials and a number only. For example:
BW1, BW2, BW3, BW4. Pieces must be clearly marked - inscribe initials and numbers on bottom with a
thick tool (not needle tool) when clay is wet. This system is necessary to help the Saturday morning
customer identify their piece after glazing and firing by community kiln volunteers. Bisque ware
MUST be delivered to the community kiln, via your group leader, by Saturday June 10, 1:15 pm.
Other items to bring include:
Kiln and kiln accessories, reduction materials, cans, tongs, gloves, protective clothing and covered shoes
Rope and three six-foot poles to secure tanks (Do not bury gas tanks)
Enough rope to cordon off kiln/firing area
Raku glazes, tool kit, shovel, plastic garbage bags and first-aid kit
Each group must have a banner to identify their group!
All groups firing more than
one kiln at a time are required to bring a “Y” connector so that two kilns may run off one tank of
gas.
Groups are encouraged to use
biodegradable reduction materials, i.e. wood shavings, sawdust, leaves, etc. Toxic materials are
discouraged.
T-shirts
T-shirts will not be
available for pre-purchase this year. They will be available at various pre-weekend events, at
Waimanalo Bay Beach Park, and at the exhibit.
For more information about
Raku Ho‘olaule‘a contact Aaron Padilla at 808 741-2874 or email at aps628@yahoo.com
Ernest Aryee:
I was fortunate to have attended Achimota
School in Ghana. This institution played a key role in the education and development of ceramics
regionally. I went on to complete my undergraduate from the College of Art in Kumasi, Ghana and
graduate degree in Ceramics from SIU (Carbondale). My work has been strengthened through travel and
participation in key residencies including the Ceramic Work Center, the Netherlands, Baltimore
Clayworks, John Michael Kohler Arts/Industry Program, and the Art Institute of Chicago. My
employment as a Sales Rep for Shimpo Ceramics gives me the opportunity to lecture and conduct
workshops locally and internationally.
My work in clay is large scale, sculptural, and references African architecture. My working method
incorporates large coiled and thrown sections, stacked one on another. Use of a propane torch
affords me the ability to raise large sections with relative speed. I favor a coarse-bodied clay.
Surface treatment with different clays and slips are typical on my work. I have experimented with
conventional firing methods as well as with West-African “bonfire” method.
The Urasenke Foundation
Founded in Kyoto, Japan in
1949, this worldwide foundation is dedicated to Chado, the Way of the Tea and the four Zen
principles of Wa, Kei, Sei and Jaku - Harmony, Respect, Purity and Tranquility.
(ideograph)
The Ideograph “raku” freely
translated means enjoyment, contentment, pleasure, and happiness. It has its roots in the
400-year-old Zen tea ceremony of Japan. The original Japanese pieces of raku were tea bowls and the
raku potters worked exclusively to produce vessels for the tea ceremony. A raku pot was seen as an
object created according to the laws of nature, hence raku evolved as it did because of the
preferences of the tea masters for natural things.
Membership and program fees
support Hawai’i Craftsmen. This event is partially funded by the State Foundation on Culture and the
Arts and G. N. Wilcox Trust. Mahalo to The City and County Parks and Recreation for the coordination
and use of Kualoa Regional Park. Workshop space has been made available through the generosity of
the University of Hawai‘i Manoa, Ft. Shafter Arts & Crafts Center and the East West Center Tea
House. Mahalo to the Urasenke Foundation for the tea bowl workshop, jurying of the traditional
category and the tea ceremony demonstration at the opening reception. The lecture space has been
made available through the generosity of the Honolulu Academy of Arts. Mahalo to the partners at The
ARTS at Marks Garage for hosting our exhibition.
Click here for a Registration Form
