Bidding has ended on this item. The seller has relisted this item or one like this.
Item:OOAK Raku ~WILEY~ Weedy Sea Dragon Sculpture Art SU4U
Please wait
Image not available
Mouse here to zoom in
Please wait
Image not available
 

OOAK Raku ~WILEY~ Weedy Sea Dragon Sculpture Art SU4U

One Of A Kind SMILES UNLIMITED by MICHELLE LOFTIS sra

Item condition:--
Ended:Nov 16, 200919:00:00 PST
Bid history:0 bids
Starting bid:US $145.00
Shipping:Read item description or contact seller for details.See more services 

 See discounts 

 |  See all details
Estimated delivery time varies. Seller ships within 3 days
Returns:
7 day money back, buyer pays return shipping | Read details
Coverage:
Pay with and your full purchase price is covered | See terms

A reserve price is the minimum price the seller will accept. This price is hidden from bidders. To win, a bidder must have the highest bid and have met or exceeded the reserve price.

 
Other item info
Item number:130343495912
Item location: Colorado, United States
Ships to:Worldwide
Payments:
Last updated on 04:41:39 PM PST, Nov 12, 2009 View all revisions
Item specifics
Original/Reproduction: OriginalListed By: Artist
Medium: Ceramic & PorcelainSubject: Nature
Largest Dimension: Less than 12"Date of Creation: 2000-Now
Region of Origin: USEdition Number: One Of A Kind

*For FREE SHIPPING rules see below

The item up for bids is an original raku sculpture by me, Michelle Loftis. This One Of A Kind creation is signed and dated on the bottom, and is stamped with my trademark heart on the left side under the tip of his tail. This sculpture comes with a Certificate of Authenticity that has a photo of "WILEY" on it.

For those of you that are not familiar with raku, a little bit of information. Raku is an ancient Japanese form of firing in which pieces are fired once (bisqued) then glazed and put into a kiln and heated to around 1800 degrees. At that point the kiln door is opened and with a pair of tongs the piece is taken red hot from the kiln and put into a container filled with some type of combustible material (straw, paper, leaves, etc.) On contact the material ignites. I watch for a few seconds to see when the color begins to change and when it does I put on a tight fitting lid to "reduce" the oxygen and that's when the magic happens! I'm finding out as the months go by that so many things can change the outcome of a firing, and every time I think I've got it figured out and that "this time should be a breeze", surprise!! nothing will come out in the load! I think that's what makes each sculpture even more special, some may take as many as 3 or 4 firings before I'm happy with how they look.

The crackle pieces are a done a little differently. Instead of putting it into the reduction immediately, I hold it out for about a minute or so to cool the glaze enough so that it's not liquid anymore. Then I quickly put it in the can and close the lid so that the smoke darkens any of the raw parts of the clay. After a minute or two I open it, take the piece out and set it on top of an overturned can. Then I blow on it to cool the glaze really fast to crackle the glaze, being careful not to torch my eyelashes or eyebrows!! It's then put back in the can and smoked for a while longer to fill in the cracks with the carbon and "TA DA" a beautiful work of art!!

I love doing raku, it's like Christmas morning every time you open the reduction can! Sometimes you get just what you asked for or better, and sometimes you get underwear!

This is "WILEY". He is a Weedy Sea Dragon. You may be thinking this is something that I dreamed up or maybe a Dr. Suess character but I assure you he is neither! He is a relative of the sea horse and they are quite real! I put an actual photo that I pulled off the Internet so you would be able to see what they really look like.

 I visited family in October and was lucky enough to get to visit three aquariums while there and saw these fascinating creatures at two of them. There are two types of sea dragons, the weedy which is this one and the leafy sea dragon which I have also made and fired and will auction in about 2 weeks. Hope you find them as interesting as I do!

This is a bas relief sculpture made on a slab of clay and is meant to either hang on the wall or be displayed on a plate stand. I will include one or the other, bidders choice.

This is my first try at this type of sculpture and I am quite pleased at the results! 

 This sculpture measures approximately 8.5"H x 12"L x .75"D.

Whether you are a Marine life collector or just enjoy great raku, don't miss your chance to get "WILEY" I promise you'll love him!

This sculpture was individually hand built from a lump of clay.

 If you would like to see more of my work please find the link to my web site on my "About Me" page, just click the "Me" icon in the upper right hand corner of this page. If you have any questions or would like to see larger pictures feel free to email me, and  Please check out my other items!

If you like what you see be sure to add me to your favorites list!

LAYAWAY plan available on winning bids over $250 - I accept a convenient layaway plan on my auctions. If you would like to use my layaway plan, please see my "About Me" page.

*FREE SHIPPING in the contiguous 48 states. Reduced shipping to Hawaii, Alaska and internationally.

 I prefer Paypal, or I can take credit cards with a phone call.

 Buyer must contact me and payment must be made within 3 days after the end of the auction.

 International bidders Paypal only and you must check with me for shipping cost. 

 International Buyers – Please Note:

  • Import duties, taxes and charges are not included in the item price or shipping charges. These charges are the buyer's responsibility.

  • Please check with your country's customs office to determine what these additional costs will be prior to bidding/buying.

If you are not completely happy with your sculpture you may return it for a full refund(at your expense, minus Paypal fees if applicable) within 7 days of when you receive it provided:
#1 you pack it the same way that I sent it to you and
#2 You insure it for the amount you paid for it.
Thank You!!

If you would like to be added to my mailing list to be notified of newly fired pieces please use the "Ask a Question" link in the upper right hand side of this page and send your email address.



We support eBay's non paying bidders policy.

Please do not bid if you do not intend to carry through with the transaction. Under eBay's current guidelines it could result in the termination of your account .




 

On July-24-07 at 20:07:00 PST, seller added the following information:


Use the FREE Counters 1 million sellers do - Andale!



00040
Domestic handling time
Will usually ship within 3 business days of receiving cleared payment.
Return policy
Item must be returned within
Refund will be given as
Return policy details
7 days after the buyer receives it
Money Back
If you are not completely happy with your sculpture you may return it for a full refund(at your expense, minus Paypal fees if applicable) within 7 days of when you receive it provided:
#1 you pack it the same way that I sent it to you and
#2 insure it for the amount you paid for it.
Thank You!!
The buyer is responsible for return shipping costs.

Payment details
Payment methodPreferred/AcceptedBuyer protection on eBay
Credit or debit card through PayPal
PayPal Preferred
Pay with and your full purchase price is covered | See terms
Seller's payment instructions
See item description above
Seller assumes all responsibility for this listing.

About eBay | Announcements | Security Center | Resolution Center | eBay Toolbar | Policies | Government Relations | Site Map | Help
Copyright © 1995-2009 eBay Inc. All Rights Reserved. Designated trademarks and brands are the property of their respective owners. Use of this Web site constitutes acceptance of the eBay User Agreement and Privacy Policy.
eBay official time