Description

This piece speaks to the relationship between the flame and fire in the kiln and the clay. All the colors and textures you see are varying thicknesses of fly ash from the wood fired kiln.

In a wood fired kiln, the placement of a piece and its location relative to the fire will, in most part, determine how much fly ash will settle and subsequently melt onto the surface. The wood kiln fires for up to 6 days with a flame needing to be fed 24 hours a day. It takes a crew of like minded individuals to coordinate a wood firing.

My favorite part of this series is seeing the flame patterns show up on the piece. That evidence of the stressful and tortuous environment begets so much beauty. The clay was designed from the beginning to survive. Because of this I see alot of hope in my work. I am reminded that our struggles only make us stronger. These pieces were made durring the covid pandemic and were a poiniant reminder of the danger but also ultimately we are better on the other side of that danger.