Artist E. C. Racicot makes each art piece using a unique blend of clays that he developed for both strength and durability. He then throws each stoneware pottery piece by hand on the Potter’s Wheel. While forming the pieces, Ed makes sure the shape is both functional and pleasing to the eye.

Once he has crafted the ceramic pieces on the Potter’s Wheel, the pieces are put aside to dry to a state called ‘leather hard’. Depending on humidity, it takes about three days to achieve this state. Once leather hard, another day is spent trimming the stoneware pottery pieces. It is here that Ed puts the final touches on the piece to perfect the shape. This is also the last opportunity to affect the pliable clay.

Trimmed, the ceramic pieces are then left to slowly dry, for up to three weeks. When bone dry (no longer cool to the touch), the pottery pieces are again placed on the Potter’s Wheel where they artfully receive their glazes (colors). To glaze the ceramic pieces, Ed Racicot uses a technique that he learned from a fellow potter (George Scatchard). This glazing technique requires a great deal of skill since glazes are applied while the piece is spinning on the wheel, using a brush and an applicator. This method demands an exact application and can take many years to perfect. It is one of the reasons that Ed’s work shows unique depth, and striping, and why he is able to once fire his work (no bisque firing). Skipping this bisque firing saves about 70% of the energy used in a glaze fire.

After glazes are applied, another day is spent drying the stoneware pottery pieces. When dry, the art pieces then go into the kiln, where they fire to over 2200 degrees. This firing takes place over a period of 18 hours. A slow firing time enhances the colors on the ceramic pieces as well as adds to their durability and hardness. A well balanced clay body, slow firing and slow cooling all add to the excellent thermal shock properties of Ed Racicot’s clay body (thermal shock resistance is what keeps the ceramic pieces from breaking as you go from cold water to boiling hot or vice versa allowing it to expand and contract with the glaze as one). Fully fired, the kiln and its load of stoneware pieces has to cool.