Fire, smoke and unpredictable magic: Sussex pottery school invites locals to try ancient Japanese raku firing
Hot Fox Pottery, a Brighton-based pottery school, is running beginner-friendly raku workshops this summer in a beautiful woodland near Barcombe, East Sussex, giving participants the chance to watch their pottery transform in open flame and come home with a finished piece the same day.
Raku is a Japanese firing tradition dating back centuries, adapted in the mid-20th century into the dramatic smoke-and-flame glaze technique used here. In it, pots are pulled from the kiln while still red-hot (around 1010°C in this case) and plunged into sawdust and newspaper, which burn and react with the glaze to create unrepeatable colours, crackles and metallic effects. No two pieces ever turn out the same.
Run by husband-and-wife team Alice and Tom Fox, the full-day sessions (11am–4pm, £120pp) take place amongst the trees in a peaceful private woodland five miles from Lewes and twelve miles from Brighton. No previous pottery experience is required. Participants decorate a pre-bisque-fired hand-made pot and tile using Hot Fox's own glazes, then they are fired, seared in flame and smoke, and quenched, producing the unpredictable colour and crackle.
“Of course, some other studios sometimes offer raku experiences, but we’ve tried to create something nobody else is doing. We are lucky enough to be able to use this beautiful space, and by providing participants with the pots to glaze we’ve made it genuinely accessible to anyone, not just experienced potters”
– Tom Fox, organiser
“As someone who often feels nervous about craft and worries about not being “good enough”, this was a completely different experience. The woodland setting made the day feel grounding, creative, almost spiritual. Working with clay, glaze, fire and smoke in nature was incredibly fulfilling!”
– Damien, student participant
“It's AMAZING to see how they come out. I love how it's a surprise; you have a real sense of chemistry going on before your very eyes.”
– Lila, student participant
Workshops run on selected dates throughout the summer, with additional weekdays available for group bookings. Tea, coffee and biscuits are provided; participants bring their own packed lunch and can take a walk in the idyllic woodland during the breaks.
Key details:
What: Beginner raku pottery workshop
When: 11am–4pm, running 19th & 30th July, 1st, 2nd & 23rd August & 6th September
Where: Knowlands Farm Woodland, Barcombe, near Lewes
Cost: £120 per person, including all materials
Booking: www.hotfoxpottery.com/raku
Detailed participant experience: https://www.hotfoxpottery.com/post/beginner-friendly-raku-workshop
