My work is pit-fired. It is not raku. Pit-firing is an ancient and global tradition.

        I have been working with this method for three decades and still find it exciting, as every pit load delivers new surprises.  

        Before firing, some pieces are burnished; others are painted with a copper and salt wash. The work is placed into a pit lined with straw, and then buried in layers of straw, peat moss and barnyard manure.

        I build a kindling fire on top and keep it burning for an hour. Then I smother the flames and let the pit smolder; the smoke and the variable atmosphere of the pit make each piece unique. Copper or gold leafing is applied to some of the pieces as an accent after the pit-firing.

        My work is decorator art. It is especially well-suited for dry arrangements as the pieces are not water tight.

        Thank you for your interest in my work and I hope that in it you see a reflection of the passion I feel for the creative process. 

Linda Workman-Morelli