Wood-fire
Wood-firing forms a vital and intimate aspect to my making. Using wood as a kiln fuel invites an elaborate set of challenges, both physically and intellectually. The preparation, the pre-heat, the firing itself, then cooling and the first glimpses of a kiln-load of hot pots: the seductive colours and iridescence of the resulting fired surfaces make it very addictive.
Aesthetically, it is the fly ashes from the burning fuel, which add a serendipitous mix of glaze ingredients to the maturing clay and slips. Subjected to the vagaries of kiln atmosphere and flame movement, these pots celebrate a meeting between the conscious and unconscious. In this way, firing becomes an integral part of the creative process. It brings a strong cyclical pattern to my work, a chain of decision making that is continually informative to the pots being made in the studio.
The process of firing itself is a quiet and enjoyable one. The firing day begins at about 5am, following a pre-heat of the raw pots the day before. A white heat of 1300ºC, is achieved slowly over about 18 hours and then held for approximately 3 hours to allow for good glaze maturation throughout. By necessity of the long day length and the design of kiln, it is a communal activity. I am indebted to Wobage colleagues as well as local friends and college students, with whom I have learned and shared the experience.
Orton firing cones, these are strategically placed in the chamber in order to assess the kiln temperature at different stages during firing. They are formulated from different glaze minerals and designed accurately to melt at specific temperatures
This double load of bark edgings, often known as slabbing are spruce and larch. They are a waste product from the milling of round timber and otherwise chipped and used in manufacture of sheet materials. The original 44 tonne load will last several years
Cord-wood is halved with a chainsaw to suit the length of the kiln fireboxes
Wood is sorted to size, moved closer to the kilns and under cover from rain. Mini wood crates on a palette are usually moved on a tractor fork. Ben’s old Wobage Fergie tractor is however currently out of action!
Kiln wood, sorted to size and stacked: Different wood type and sizes are required during different parts of the firing cycle