The premise behind Woodfire NC is to bring people from all around the world who are excited about woodfiring and reunite the community through kinship and firings. Surrounded by artists and creators with similar interests in mind, I found myself flooded with questions, answers, and much needed conversation. Woodfiring is a collaborative form of finishing ceramic work that requires a team – people who enjoy each others company and can grow together. This collaborative hard work to complete a common goal is what draws me to woodfiring.
Being a part of this year’s conference at STARworks opened my eyes as to how large this community is. While many local potters in the Seagrove vicinity came to learn together at the physical conference via lectures and demonstrations, they also fired kilns that incorporated work from a vast number of people as part of the “Preheat”. Learning from the firings of different kiln designs as well as speaking to those with contrasting backgrounds helped me to see the possibilities available. Pricilla Mouritzen, for example, is one artist who I had the pleasure of meeting. While she takes much pride in the lack of tools and facilities she deems necessary to make pots, she leads Guldagergaard, an international ceramic center in Denmark, that I am now very interested in applying to. She spoke of the tight bond these residents form together who participate in the program, the facilities, and the art scene surrounding Guldagergaard. Having the opportunity to travel abroad and learn more in this tight knit atmosphere is very appealing to me as an emerging artist. Having not been to the conference, I would never have met her.
Takuro and Hitomi Shibata held a firing on their property and welcomed those participating in the conference to put work in the kiln. This way, outsiders can learn first hand more about their kiln. This specific kiln they built has two main chambers — an anagama leading into a taller salt chamber. Recently, they have primarily been firing only the salt chamber due to the vast volume of work needed to fill the anagama; however they do prefer the anagama results. In talking to them, they were speaking of years prior and how the firing took up more time during the conference than they were looking to spend firing this year. This was another factor that played into their decision to fire only the salt chamber. Hitomi heavily encourages firing with as many people as possible to evolve a better understanding of kiln design. What is your preferred timeline? How much ash are you looking for? How large is the work you’d like to fire? How big is the team that is firing with you? Answering these kinds of questions and finding preferences will help me to better understand what kind of kiln I’d like to pursue building. These kinds of questions can be answered by firing with others, and learning from their mistakes. “Ask those you’re firing with many questions about their kiln and past experiences,” Hitomi says. It will help me to make decisions especially if I want to build a kiln or travel.
Observing the demonstrations were also formative in that each artist presenting had a diverse approach to making. Trying to throw large pots? At least five different ways of building big were shown to the audience – each artist adding a variety of touch, tool, and method behind the construction. It was also comforting to see couples working side by side considering I will be doing the same with my partner, Kyle O’Connor. While artists like Randy Johnston and Jan Mkeachie Johnston do not collaborate during their making process, others such as Michal Hunt and Naomi Dalglish built their business around merging their aesthetics. In hearing them both talk about their joined practices, it was comforting to see success in their ceramic journeys.
More nerdy chemistry details were discussed in the panels, but sadly I was too busy keeping the shop open and working with customers to really listen to the lectures. There is word that most sessions were recorded by Ben Carter and will be featured on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler podcast in the near future. I’m super excited to listen to these talks if they become available to the public. Hideo Mabuchi gave a talk on the microstructures of atmospheric color which I kick myself for missing.
Having the opportunity to meet Henry Crissman was another highlight for me. While I have read about his mobile anagama teaching tool, it was fun to discuss his thoughts about the project in person. Henry said if he could change anything, he would build the kiln in parts so he could build, load, and build some more as the loading progress continued. In designing it this way, he could show the loading process better to those learning about woodfiring. Before, he mentioned crawling into the kiln to load only to turn around and not be able to express why he was placing pots in certain areas.
Overall, the idea of bringing all of these artists together to have a unified conversation was very inspiring. Even though I was nervous about talking to some of them, it gave me a chance to hear of their perspectives and knowledge first hand whereas before I had only read of them. STARworks organized an exhibition with work from a variety of the artists lecturing during the conference as well. Being able to spend time with these works and view them up close – feel them – was an extraordinary experience. Cheers to the friendships formed and the knowledge learned. Before this conference, I didn’t know what large events like this were really for. I had always viewed them from the outside – networking and schmoozing. Now I know it’s more about making a friend and finding connection with others who have similar passions and interests. I am very grateful I was a part of this year’s conference and would very much like to attend the next one.
Emily Fedorchak 