Limited Collection

Raku Glass

Born from fire, dust, and desert alchemy

"Glass madness is mass gladness!"

— Boyce Lundstrom

Dana's Origin Story Piece

My name is Dana Taylor. I had the pleasure of working with the late, great glass enthusiast Boyce Lundstrom, and had the privilege of doing so for more than thirteen amazing years. I have recently become aware of some renewed interest in one of the last three books we put out together before Boyce "left the building".

Raku Glass was the second in the series. Kiln-fired Glass was the first. The Best Bottle Book Ever was the third. Since I am featured in Raku Glass, I am contributing a short but sweet origin story about how Raku Glass and Boyce came together.

Raku Glass piece Santo Diame Raku

We start back in 2007. There is a bunch of us who regularly hang around and work in Boyce's Research and Development Lab and Kitchen, including Boyce, myself, Patrick Lundstrom, and Corey Mitchell. We are experimenting in all things in casting glass.

This is where it gets interesting...

Anyone who has ever been to or knows someone who has returned from Burning Man knows about the dry lake bed sediment (or playa) that is as fine as talcum or baby powder. Every one familiar knows it literally infiltrates clothing, bedding, and cars. One can actually shake pounds of the lake sediment, playa (soon to be reactive enamel), from their belongings.

This is when Corey thinks it would be cool to make some glass cabochons with the playa inside to bring for giving away at the next Burning Man. He figures out that when encased in glass the playa is compatible with hot glass, Borosilicate, 96 coe., and pyrex, and playing with it we figure out it works with 90 coe & float glass.

Now some time goes by and we are working on the Kiln fired glass book. We are having lots of fun encasing copper & other metals in glass, and with Boyce's encouragement to add copper to any R & D pieces we are working with. This is when Corey discovers that the playa reacts with the copper and moisture to create a patina and colors inside the glass.

It is at this point of playing with the playa and copper that Boyce is inspired to produce the Raku glass book, along with some products to accompany the book. Meanwhile immersed in the Burning Man culture and continuing with his glass art, Corey wanted to avoid the commercializing of the Burning Man concept and was hoping Boyce would also be sensitive to those core values.

Boyce does some research and scouts out similar dry lake beds and gets permission to extract playa (reactive enamels) and brings it back to the R & D lab & kitchen. There we developed a process that incorporates mixing and sifting the playa which eventually becomes the reactive enamels we have today.

"Unfortunately this did not happen because it all coincided with the discovery of Boyce's Brain Cancer. And in a very short time Boyce is lost to us, the glass world, and the very Book chronicling the discovery events."

Patrick (Boyce's Son) as a gesture to our friend gave Corey the remains of the packaged products that were in stock at the distribution warehouse. There were also a limited amount of books, as well as the remaining marbles from Boyce's time running the Peltier Marble factory in Ottawa, Illinois.

This gives Corey and myself the opportunity to offer some Raku glass kits we have assembled. With the Raku glass book and one each of the products used in the book, there is a limited amount available at CoreysCollectables.com. where you can also obtain Marbles and help in Identifying Boyce's Peltier marble runs.

Boyce would trade marbles for smiles, and I will remind you of what Boyce always said: glass madness, is mass gladness!

P.S. a person could also find some dry lake beds and gather their own playa, and copper is easy to get, and make your own reactive enamels.

Thanky,

Dana Taylor

4-3-2026