Wood-Fired Kiln

Potter loves the uncertainty of process. The way the fire-ash binds to glaze. The irregularity of flame's touch. He carefully stacks the dried spun pieces in a pile in the kiln, each piece touching, separated by broken pieces of shell and wadding. So that the pieces touching don't stick together. Potter loves the fingerprints this leaves from shielded firing and shells. This adds to the in-print impressions of leaves shells and branches, the potter presses into the unfired clay like an etching sketching. The potter paints the alchemy of glaze only the firing will emblaze with color, shine, feel and texture. seven days to cut the wood seven days to dry it seven friends to stoke the fire day and night seven days to finish firing the kiln seven days to cool it down Then, the bricks are removed, one by one, to reveal the jewels among the ashes. Some good, some bad, some magnificent. Some firings just don't work at all. Seven days to rest and admire the pots made in wood-fired kiln. Before the wheel is kicked back into action. The pots are wheel-spun, hand-cupped crafted. The wood is sought, chopped and stacked. The ash is removed, and kiln is readied for next firing. Yes, with wood, for the love of labor and for the uncertainty of process it brings, natural and organic.