Richard Gruchalla has been a full-time potter for over 35 years. He does the throwing and building of the vessels he makes, while his wife Carrin Rosetti does the wonderful glaze applications. The pieces are then put through the raku process, which results in crackled glazes and variations in color. The couple lives and works in Duluth, Minnesota; we've included a photo of them.
The effects of the raku process are very evident on this beautiful round bowl. The interior and upper edge have a network of blackened lines, which, given a clear top glaze, look rough but are smooth to the touch. The golden color tinged with orange on the outside of the bowl has incised lines and blackened concentric lines with speckles. The bottom was left dry and is completely blackened, rough to the touch and signed with a hand written, incised "Gruchalla Rosetti 17." To lift this piece over the top decoratively, there are copper wire "necklaces" wrapped around the lower edges of the bottom and top rims. Copper wire is a signature of their pottery.
This bowl measures 9 1/4 inches in diameter across the top and 3 3/4 inches high. It weighs 3 1/4 pounds and is in perfect condition, gorgeous and ready to be displayed.
>>>A quote from Richard Gruchalla: "We were filmed for a segment in a PBS show called Venture North. It was then put on tube as a video. Raku with Richard and Carrin – Venture North PBS Duluth MN"
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