firing processes
wood firing
We wood fire 2-3x a year in the Price/Wannamaker Anagama wood kiln out on the mesa. It takes roughly 4.5 days to fire the kiln with a team of artists from the ceramics community here in Taos. We work 6-hour shifts around the clock in teams of 2-3 people constantly stoking the kiln to stick to the firing schedule. Typically, we fire to △11, and have 10 cone packs and several thermocouples places in strategic locations throughout the kiln to help monitor the temperatures of different zones throughout the kiln.
This kiln also has a soda chamber in the back, where we spray a mixture of water and soda ash at peak temp, which interacts with the flame and ash in the kiln to achieve unique atmospheric effects.
soda firing
Soda firing is a process during which pots are fired as usual in a gas or wood kiln, and then a mixture of soda ash and water is sprayed in at peak temperature. In this case, we fired a gas kiln to △6, or ~2232°F.
We soda fire several times a year in Logan's gas kiln.
pit firing
Pit firing is a low temperature firing method where pots are layered with combustible materials inside a pit, then covered completely with what is essentially a campfire that is tended for a few hours. Once the desired temperature is reached, the pit is covered, smothering the fire, and ideally creating a reduction (oxygen-deprived) environmnent that helps to achieve variety in coloring on the pots.
For this kind of firing, I use a red micaceous clay local to New Mexico.
△6 electric firing
And lastly, electric firing is done in an electric kiln (shocker). I fire to △6, which is approximately 2232°F. Electric kilns can be set up basically anywhere you have access to a 240V outlet (depending on the size of the kiln), and are ideal for predictable firing results.
Electric firing was the only process I'd used before moving to Taos and launching my atmospheric ceramics journey, so there's a lot you can do with it! However, I'm currently focused on adapting my electric-fired work to utilize local materials to achieve surface elements that complement my soda and wood fired collections.
