The wood kiln opening was well underway by the time I got the two boys fed and dressed. I also had to swing by the village, Noah wanted Holly B's.
The first rank was already down and I had to peer over shoulders and in between heads to get a peak. I only had two pieces in the kiln and did absolutely nothing to get this kiln prepped, stacked, or fired. Not my usual participation in this annual event.
The stacks were coming down and the pots were being delivered to the many waiting hands ready to hold them, appreciate them, and critique them.
So much information is stored on the surfaces of these pots. For the trained eye there are details and recordings of what happened in the kiln......and other times we can only stare in wonder.
The scorched bricks, slick ash deposits, broken wadding, even the tiniest pot deserves a gander.
When you hold these pots everything goes silent, just for a moment. It's like you are transported to someplace where it's only you and this thing.
The kiln isn't just full of mantle fodder. The coffee cup is the quintessential potters mark, it's the workhorse of the ceramics world. What better way to start your day? What better way to spread the joy and beauty that is found in this kiln?
Possibly my favorite object that comes out of this kiln is the Unomi or handless cup. It brings to mind the evenings spent clutching some peaty scotch, or watching the sun rise with freshly brewed green tea. These things not only transport us to another plane of existence they ground us to the elements that surround us; fire, earth, water, wood, and air. To consume these elements is inevitable, but to be left with such a record.......
These firings require many, many hours of back breaking labor, planning, and discussion. Although it takes many hands to accomplish this task it falls on the shoulders of one individual to spearhead this endeavor. Jim is our kiln father, without his generous heart and strong back none of this would be possible.
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