 Local blackberries, soda fired "Down to Earth" article in Ceramics Monthly |
 Local eggs, soda fired "Half a dozen soft boiled egg cups" Honorable mention: Pottery Making Illustrated |
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 Wood fired "Nestled" water jug and cup |
 Soda fired |
 Article in CCDwell herb vase - photo by Leslie Kedash |
 Curator: Down to Earth Exhibit and Events Next Event: A Useable Feast |
The feel and smell of clay, and the repetitive, gentle kicking motion of the treadle wheel quiet me. At times I mix in clay dug from a special mountain. My 20 cubic ft soda/propane kiln was salvaged from a big salt kiln. From about 1400-1600F oxygen is taken out of the kiln to "reduce" the iron oxide in the clay body to warm reds and browns. Around 2000F, sodium is introduced briefly into the kiln to volatize and influence the surface of the clay and glazes. The cross-draft design creates a directionality of atmosphere.
I believe that random events in life can combine to create a single, meaningful moment: a spark, a jolt, an inspiration, a memory. These moments are invisible, and yet are very real. I am intrigued by soda and wood firing processes because they create an atmosphere of randomly interacting forces that become captured onto a pot, providing a glimpse of a moment. I'm also interested in the role that pots play in moments of eating and drinking.
