New Year

Here's to a prosperous next year...

Happy GoundHog Day!

I mean 4th of July....

But for us this weekend was about firing the GroundHog Kiln at the NC Pottery Center, here in Seagrove. I've fired several wood kiln's that resemble this design...a long narrow tunnel shaped kiln, buried halfway into the ground with a opening in the front you crawling through to load your pots. However, This was the first wood kiln that I've had to crawl into like a gopher to load pots...

We fired this beast on Saturday, and we'll see how it turned out on Tuesday when we crawl back into its belly to reclaim our pots from the fire.

From The Kiln

In October Michele and I got the opportunity to woodfire with two Dan's in one month. The first firing was with Dan Triece, my neighbor across the street. And the second was with Daniel Johnston a few miles in the other direction.

Dan Triece and I have been friends for nearly 20 years, and we just met Daniel in July. These were the first firings we did since the move to Seagrove, so we really appreciate these opportunities.

                                            Dan Triece - Anagama/Salt Wood Kiln

I've been woodfiring regularly for more than ten years, and we were very excited to be invited to fire in the Dirtworks kiln. It helped us to feel like part of the community...the bonus firing for us was being able to help Daniel Johnston with one of his "Large Pot" firings.

Daniel Johnston - Wood Fired Salt kiln

 And now for something that has been on my mine for a long time...Working with slip. 

These pots were salt fired in the the kiln with the last 30 of Daniel Johnston's 100, 100 pound pots project, that I just saw in Ceramics Monthly today. ...click on the photos to see them enlarged...I've been drawing through slip on pots, and working my usual texture into the drawings. The fuming effects of the saltglaze process are perfect for these pieces.

This next group of piece were fired for 64 hours in the anagama chamber of Dan Triece's Kiln.

I like the effect of salt glazing on certain things , but the magic of the fire and ash of a long hot wood firing on unglazed porcelain, and stoneware turn me on the most. The vessels are porcelain, and the platter is a local stoneware clay made by the folks at Starworks.