THE PROCESS
During the process of making ceramics, many things can go wrong, many stages cannot be rushed. They say clay teaches patience. The objects that have successfully completed the processes of moulding, drying and glazing finally go into the kiln – a genuine machinery of change. Some come out fine, some need to be re-fired, others will be used to pave roads. What we are most excited about is the surrender of some control over the process and the end result – to the elements.
The process of woodfiring is highly dependent on the weather. The ideal conditions are low humidity and high atmospheric pressure. This means that our work cycle is inextricably linked to the seasons. In Spring and Summer we focus on forming the clay, wheel throwing, glazing and firing. In Autumn and Winter, we have time to prepare the wood for the next season, catalogue the work, and search for suitable stones and minerals for making glazes.