Alternative Firings – August 24th

In this workshop we will explore the alternative firing techniques of Raku, pit and wood-firing!

This workshop will give you the opportunity to gain a deeper connection to the transformative processes in finishing ceramic work. The workshop will take place at the wonderful Brickfield site just outside of Trewoon, where you will be able to immerse yourself in the landscape of the China clay industry.

Pit firing, the earliest known firing process, producing decorative pottery by burying the pots beneath a hot fire with an array of organic matters and minerals, such as seaweed, salt and fruit skins, giving the highly burnished surface colourful patternation, entirely unique to each pot.

Raku, we will rapidly heat the pottery using gas, to high temperatures, reducing the glazed pots in sawdust boxes and quenching in water, with an array of glazes the results can make a bold statement, alternatively, we can experiment with horse hair raku, unglazed burnished pots are pulled out of the kiln and hair, feathers or sugar is placed and thrown onto the pot to leave carbonation markings, then left to cool.

Fast fired stoneware kiln, the only one of the 3 firings suited to functional ware, we have an exciting opportunity to use the brickfield mini kiln based on the design shown in “making pots a ceramicists guide” by Stefan Andersson, firing with wood, this mini kiln can get up to 1280 in a short time, with flames leaping out of the chimney! The magic of this type of firing can produce really beautiful depth to a pot that can’t be gained in an electric kiln.

To attend this course you should already be familiar with the basics of working in clay as the making stage will be largely independent.

The firings will take place over the course of the day on the 24th of August from 10am onwards and will be a hands on experience, everyone will have opportunity to participate in all 3 of the firings, working with one another throughout the day.

Further information about what to expect on the day will be sent to those booked, closer to the time.

Each participant will receive 1.5kg of clay to create their pieces with, further clay can be purchased from the studio. We will then bisque fire one pot for each firing type as part of your course booking (3 pots total). Further pots can be fired at standard studio prices but we cannot guarantee additional pots will be able to go into the alternative firings.

There will also be opportunities to attend drop in make sessions at Flookan studio to create the pots for each of the firings, with advice from our resident artists.

There will be some restrictions on pot size for the woodfired kiln as it is small and we want to ensure all attending can receive something from the kiln

There will be a range of glazes available to use, however participants are welcome to purchase their own raku glazes if they wish and can discuss own glazes for the wood kiln with us.

We will get together for a site prep and glaze day a week prior on the 17th of August to prepare the pots and the pit, get to know one another, familiarise with the site and have any questions answered.

Please select your payment option. We want to ensure that all who wish to attend are able to, we are therefore offering a deposit option, with the remaining amount to be paid closer to the time. If you are choosing deposit, we will be in touch with how to complete the next payment.

We look forward to having you join us for what will be an exciting and interesting experience in alternative firings.