The Process
We have one wood-fired kilns, and we are building another one now.
We built Anagama (16 feet long, widest part 7 feet, highest part 5 feet) with Centenary arch salt chamber (6 feet long, 4 feet wide and 6 feet tall). We both were working in Shigaraki, Japan, and we had a chance to came to US to see and help fired many different wood-fired kilns, and through those experience, we built this kiln based on Shigaraki traditional idea, but also American ideas in the kiln. So it looks like Anagama, but it has some ideas from our friends kiln in US, for example side stoke holes, and a big salt chamber that we can put a lot of pots and get different result from Anagama Chamber. We finish building it in 2010.
Our Process
Most of our work are made of NC local Clays. We also new clay tests and mix up by ourselves with Wild Clay around us.
When we built our Anagama kiln in 2009, we got beautiful Yellow clay from kiln foundation and we use it for decollation.
We collect wood ash from wood kilns and wood stoves, and make ash glazes which are very traditional glazes in Japan. We use iron oxide for brush decollation. Iron Oxide is the only oxide we use for our pottery. We try to use very simple, natural and non-toxic materials to create our work.
Our Wood Kilns
We have an Anagama plus two chamber wood-fired kiln, and we are building new smaller wood kiln now.
We built our Shigaraki style Anagama (16 feet long, 7 feet wide and 5 feet high) with catenary arch salt chamber (6 feet long, 4 feet wide and 6 feet tall) in 2009-2010. We both were active potters in Shigaraki, Japan, and had many chances to help firing many different wood-fired kilns in US&Japan. Through those our experiences, we decided to build this kiln as our dream wood kiln for years. It looks like very typical Anagama, but it has some new ideas from American wood kilns, for example we made 4 side stoke holes (normally no stoke holes for Anagama in Shigaraki), and we added big salt chamber that we can put a lot of pots and get different results from Anagama Chamber. Also we made the second chamber's firebox bigger enough to be able to fire by itself. So we can fire just second chamber to make functional table wares.
Anagama, Built in 2009-2010
Arch mold was made from Bamboo
Photo taken by Jari Vesterinen
Small Wood kiln (Bourry Box), Built in 2015-2016
The kiln wizard, Andres Allik (Right)
