Raku-fired vessel with crackle glaze,

Akiko Koiso's mixed media, raku-fired wall piece,

one of four from her Hagire series, $300

Raku-fired vase with crackle glaze

Iowa Artisans Gallery features raku ceramics by Quad Cities artist Akiko Koiso, July 27 – September 5, 2006. Raku has its roots in Asia. It is a process by which pieces are formed, either on a wheel or by handbuilding, then fired to a certain temperature and immediately plunged into combustible materials such as straw or newsprint. The results are dramatic, with smoking and sometimes flaming pots, each piece uniquely patterned and no two the same.

Akiko Koiso was born in Osaka City, Japan. She has lived in the Quad Cities area of Iowa and Illinois for many years and is predominantly self-taught. Over the years, she has gained a reputation as a ceramist who specializes in sculptural raku vessels and wall relief. The majority of her works are abstract shapes, reflecting and melding the traditional Japanese aesthetic with a contemporary sensibility. Her recent work

explores the surface treatment in cone 6, oxidation firing. Her works has been featured in the  “Made in Illinois” catalog and Studio Potter Magazine. She has also appeared several times on the WQPT Public Television, in their programs ” The Creative Process” and “Creator.”

Iowa Artisans Gallery is open daily at 207 E. Washington, downtown Iowa City. Hours are Monday: 10-8pm; Tuesday-Friday 10-7pm; Saturday 10-5:30pm; and Sunday 12-4pm.