We began building our ceramic studio in 2021. From the very beginning, we dreamed of firing ceramics in a traditional wood-fired kiln. Working with a limited budget, we searched for recycled and repurposed materials on auction sites and salvage yards. As is often the case with handcrafted projects, our initial lack of experience and efforts to save money led to the kiln being rebuilt three times.

Finally, after a year of learning, trial, and error, the heart of our studio – the wood-fired kiln – was completed. In May 2022, it was brought to life by the first flame.

Alongside the kiln, other tools and elements of our ceramic workspace came into being. Old oak benches were given a second life and transformed into a handmade potter’s wheel. A boulder from the flowerbed became a pair of stone querns we now use to grind raw minerals by hand – staying close to the ancient ways of preparing materials for clay and glazes.

In August 2022, we constructed a second kiln – a primitive, low-tech structure inspired by early European ceramic traditions. This smaller kiln is used to fire black ceramics using traditional reduction methods.

In the future, we plan to expand our ceramic studio with a separate workspace and storage area. We also dream of building a larger, multi-chamber wood-fired kiln – perhaps a Japanese-style Noborigama. The vision is to create multi-day firing sessions that blend traditional ceramic techniques with workshops, collaboration, and shared experience.