The Freaky Raku

The Freaky Raku Zaira & Francesco, Venetian Raku Makers. Pottery & Photography project exploring the art of imperfec

ABOUT US

Zaira Zarotti & Francesco Pettenà, Potters e Founders of The Freaky Raku Studio. Zaira is the author of The Freaky Table blog and her work mostly consists of still life photography and food styling. She’s always looking out for objects and materials that are vintage and out of the ordinary, and she personally takes care of the styling of her pictures. [read more here]
Searching for props

to this purpose was the first reason she became interested in a personalized production of ceramics. Since the beginning of this project, Francesco found his most authentic expressive quality in molding and finishing the pieces at the lathe, having an inborn plastic talent and a natural creative exuberance of his own. Zaira & Francesco take care of all stages together, each one having one’s own tasks, from production to selling all over the world. The Freaky Raku project was born officially in 2016, after about one year of studying and experimenting as self-tought ceramists in our studio near Venice. DESIGN

Our design is a contemporary and unique revisitation where some elements of the Japanese “wabi-sabi” aesthetic tradition merge with an elegant and sober style, natural materials and neutral colors as Scandinavian main traits. PHILOSOPHY

Nothing is perfect – Nothing stays forever – Nothing is incomplete: beauty is linked with the transience of things and with the effect of time. We found a perfect example of this kind of aesthetic in Raku ceramics; from the first time we learned about it, we've loved this technique and its firing process, which is something like an event where all the primordial elements such as water, wind, earth and fire combine together in an equilibrium that is given both by a bit of chance and a bit of chemistry. The impossibility of perfectly foreseeing the results is, in fact, part of this technique. Raku is not simply making objects, it’s an ongoing experimental process that is viscerally linked to Nature. The “freaky raku” is a project about the search for beauty that can be found in the uniqueness of anything that is not perfect. Every object has its own story, its own time and its own soul.

14/09/2024

La ceramica contemporanea in mostra a Venezia, in occasione di Homo Faber in Città, presso Palazzo Venart con otto giovani artisti veneziani

🌿 Introducing “Transient Flora: Raku for a Lagoon Herbarium”!Our new project is a collection of unique objects character...
08/09/2024

🌿 Introducing “Transient Flora: Raku for a Lagoon Herbarium”!

Our new project is a collection of unique objects characterized by minimalist design and subtle, muted colors, conceived as an installation where art and nature engage in harmonious dialogue. It functions as a true lagoon herbarium, where carefully selected botanical specimens from the lagoon are displayed within the presented pieces, following the aesthetic principles of Japanese ikebana. Each piece is crafted from lagoon clay—purified and treated to reduce its natural salinity—before being fired and reduced using the raku technique, which imparts the glaze with its signature crackled texture and a timeworn, ancient aesthetic. Each item is designed to be a work of art in its own right, forming an installation that represents a harmonious synthesis of nature, art, and culture. This project is more than just a celebration of the imperfect beauty of raku ceramics and the Venice Lagoon, it is an invitation to reflect on the fragility and importance of preserving what is rare and unique.

We are delighted to present this new project at the exhibition “Contemporary Ceramics in Venice” as part of Homo Faber in the City. Join us!
The exhibition will be held at Palazzo Venart Luxury Hotel, Calle Tron 1961, on September 10th at 6:00 PM. After the opening, the exhibition will be open for viewing by appointment until September 30th. (Contact: [email protected] - +39 041 5233 784



🌟 Exciting News! 🌟 I’m thrilled to announce our participation in .italia the International Ceramics Festival and Market ...
28/08/2024

🌟 Exciting News! 🌟 I’m thrilled to announce our participation in .italia the International Ceramics Festival and Market Exhibition in Faenza!
It’s an incredible honor to showcase our Raku ceramics alongside some of the most talented artisans from around the globe.

For those who may not know, Faenza has a rich history and is renowned for its exceptional ceramic artistry. The vibrant atmosphere of the festival is brimming with creativity, and I can’t wait to immerse myself in this celebration of art and craftsmanship.
italia takes place 30th 31th August and 1st September for three days of cultural events, workshops, exhibitions, and opportunities to connect with fellow art lovers. Come say hi at my booth! I would love to chat about the inspiration behind my work and share my passion for pottery!
Can’t wait to see you there! 🙌

When you’re a potter and your trimming tools are your best friends? I will post a reel about it tomorrow!✂️             ...
22/07/2024

When you’re a potter and your trimming tools are your best friends? I will post a reel about it tomorrow!
✂️

Little cup 💙
15/07/2024

Little cup 💙

Sipping in style with these handmade raku cups, perfectly imperfect and full of charm. 💙
30/06/2024

Sipping in style with these handmade raku cups, perfectly imperfect and full of charm. 💙

Although Instagram will only show this post to 3% of our followers 😥 …if you had to choose just one of our freakyraku cr...
24/11/2023

Although Instagram will only show this post to 3% of our followers 😥 …if you had to choose just one of our freakyraku craquele’ pieces, which one would you choose? Would it be a large bowl (like these in the photos), a flat moon plate, an oval plate, a bowl, a cup of a cake stand? ✨ let us know in the comments! 🫶🏼🙏🏼

One day we were out with our boat in the lagoon in one of the thickest fogs ever.Nothing was visible, everything was swa...
08/11/2023

One day we were out with our boat in the lagoon in one of the thickest fogs ever.
Nothing was visible, everything was swallowed up by a dense, white mantle, the water around us looked like a mirror, completely and incredibly flat. There were no fishes rippling the surface of the water, no birds in the sky.
The only thing moving, other than our boat moving very slowly forward, were some seaweeds in the water. They were doing a beautiful silent dance, a poetic and timeless swaying.
Both and I of that day particularly remember this image, which in its simplicity has long been fixed in our minds as something wonderful. Likewise, we have never forgotten that particular color of the water, halfway between a green and a gray, more or less the same color we later gave to our "algae" series.

It’s finally back the season of wearing my iconic freaky raku sweater 🤣 and also making some room on our shelves for new...
02/11/2023

It’s finally back the season of wearing my iconic freaky raku sweater 🤣 and also making some room on our shelves for new things coming in! The EARLY NOVEMBER DISCOUNTS are back!
On our website you can find the latest pieces from the past collection at freaky prices!!! 👏🏼
Scroll left to see my face when shop manager took over! 🫣😅
For those who are new around here and didn't know, ours are all unique and non-repeatable pieces, each one is part of an exclusive collection, they are food safe and are made entirely by hand in our studio near Venice :)
We use the Japanese raku technique which, however, we have customized over time and in some ways "Venetianized"… but this is a longer story that you can find out more about by following us!
Find direct links to the discounts in the stories, take a look! 🫶🏼



Hi everybody, how are you doing?We took a long break from social but life off the screens has been going in so many dire...
30/10/2023

Hi everybody, how are you doing?
We took a long break from social but life off the screens has been going in so many directions that sometimes it's just hard to keep up with everything. Don't you have this feeling sometimes too? That social media and this constant showing off of things, ideas, lifestyles, and private moments, takes us away from really and fully living in the present of what we are doing?
Making pottery easily brings me back to this feeling. When I create something I have to be in the moment, in the creation, in my mind and hands. And this period was very much "in the hands" because I made so many things.
I built masonry kitchens, created custom pieces for restaurants, worked on a new series of objects with shapes inspired by Japanese ceramics, and experimented with new ways of making glazes from natural elements.
With our usual calm and slow pace, we will show you everything and bring you back into our "the freaky raku world"! Stay with us!

📷 by

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21/10/2023

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