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Rain
Dragon Studio |
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Care
of your
Rain Dragon Artwork
Your
original art from Rain Dragon Studio is meticulously created by hand.
Special care is needed beyond a "similar" factory-made or machine-made
item.
Please read instructions before using or washing.
CERAMICS:
Dishwasher
& Microwave:
You now own a piece of my pottery, so you can do whatever you want with
it. Personally, I do put my pottery in the microwave but not the dishwasher.
I know these two appliances will shorten the lifespan of any ceramic
piece. You will have to make your own decision about using the dishwasher
or microwave. Just know that they can cause breakage to occur. Therefore,
the instructions below recommend you NOT put handmade pottery into these
appliances, in order to extend the lifetime of your pieces.
That said, if you choose to dishwasher or microwave your handbuilt pottery,
please at least choose one appliance only! If you must microwave,
then please wash by hand. If you must dishwasher, then please never
microwave. The combo of both is eventually absolutely deadly to all handmade
pottery. So really, the decision to do both, either or neither is up to
your financial tollerance for having to buy replacements. Pottery can
outlast you if it is cared for with best practices!
Bowls
& Dishes:
Hand-built and fragile, please do not drop! Dishes are food safe unless
specified. Handmade pottery is safest if you wash by hand, however never
soak in water. Do not use dishwasher as water absorption will occur which
makes breakage more likely. Please do not put into the microwave as breakage
can occur upon rapid heating. Never heat on the stove top. If you choose
to put into an oven, you must place room temperature dish onto cold racks
in a cold oven, then gently heat the oven to the desired temperature.
Coffee
& Beer Mugs:
Hand-built and fragile, please do not drop! See Bowls & Dishes above.
Also, never hang handmade mugs by their handles: the handles will eventually
break off. As with all handmade pottery, rapid heating causes breakage.
Therefore please gently pre-heat your mug before filling it with hot liquid.
After preheating, add hot water to the temperature suited best to the
beverage, such as 187°F for coffee and 165°F for most teas. Note1:
Pouring boiling liquid into a handmade mug is not recommended as it will
likely crack or break. Note2: Dark clay pieces can get really Hot!
Mud
People:
Handmade & fragile, please do not drop! Mud People can go outside
under a tree or stay inside with your potted plant or on a shelf. If you
put them outside, please bring inside in the winter if you want them to
stay in tip-top shape as they could absorb water and chip or crack with
cold or freezing temperatures. If you don't mind the weathering caused
by the elements, then feel free to leave outside all year long.
Raku:
Raku has special considerations, so in addition to the above advice, you
should know:. Raku is a low-temperature, live fire process that uses a
low- or zero-oxygen environment to cause copper glazes to flash shiny
or matte with randomly varied metallic and smoke markings. It's gorgeous,
and it doesn't act like other ceramic art. First and foremost, never allow
your raku to see the sun. Neither leave it outside in the sun, nor inside
where the daily sun can hit it through a window. UV light will fade all
those copper and metalic colors into a dull boring brown. Also raku is
porous and not vitrified, so it will leak if you put liquid in it. That's
why many of my raku pieces that look functional actually have no bottoms
or a hole in the bottom: You won't be tempted to put liquid in it. If
your piece is functional and has an intact bottom, it should have a tag
to say if it has been sealed with Liquid Crystal®, and if the piece
has been 24-hour leak-tested with water, and if it passed the test. Additionally,
any edges that could touch your mouth or fork should not be metalic as
those bits are not food-safe. Any food or mouth surfaces should have a
non-metallic glossy glaze, or if the food surface is a matte-smoked surface,
the food surface will be sealed with a Liquid Crystal® layer. Please
be careful not to scratch the invisible Liquid Crystal® coating as
you use the raku dish.
PAINTINGS:
Full
Moon Sand Paintings & Luminous Fusion Paintings:
Please hang inside and don't allow to get wet. Direct sunlight will likely
cause fading. Frame will break if painting is dropped.
