My Working Methods
ŤA view of the soda kiln with my house in the
background.
I biscuit fire all work in a programmable electric kiln and glaze fire in two 20'cub. gas kilns one of which is dedicated to soda/salt firing. I am also one of eight potters who communally fire a 100'cub. wood/salt kiln at regular intervals.
There is a twin of this kiln (using the same stack) behind this one which I use for conventional reduction firings.
The soda kiln is of soft brick lined with ITC. The soda
is introduced mostly by dropping in small 'bombs' made from Bicarb of soda and Whiting
50:50. I also spray about 1/3 of the total. The kiln is about 20'cub and I use about
1.25kg of Bicarb.
My work includes individual pieces in salt/soda glazed stoneware and relies on uncomplicated forms enhanced by visually satisfying but unobtrusive surface textures which are the result of my particular firing techniques. I also make high-fired stoneware pieces which are glazed with mixtures of local clay, limestone and wood ash. The Wood Ash , which can represent as much as 50% of the glaze batch weight, imparts distinctive if unpredictable characteristics to the fired glaze.
Decoration usually involves a simple impressed or incised motif. I sometimes alter the thrown form. Occasionally, on dishes and large bowls I employ a fish pattern executed with paper resist and cobalt blue brushwork.
It is important for me that the work retains a strong sense of the processes involved in the making.
A Firing of the Soda Kiln.
I welcome potters to my workshop.