Inside the studio / Role of the kiln
To create my pottery, I use a 45-cubic foot, downdraft style propane-fired kiln. While essentially just a simple insulated chamber of bricks, the kiln is the place where amazing things happen. The kiln transforms the shaped clay into pottery, with all the color and complexion that only 2400° can produce, hence the term kiln-fired.
The interior of the kiln is constructed of insulating firebrick, steel and kaowool, altogether standing five feet tall with 6½-inch thick walls. Its fire is generated by four small venturi burners, producing a staggering amount of heat. A cone ten glaze firing in about twelve hours results.
The kiln is the most unpredictable facet of my work. Within the kiln, when the fire takes control, almost anything can happen. Despite extensive preparation by the potter, kiln firings retain a profound element of spontaneity, underscoring the independent character of the natural processes that produce pottery. Quite literally, the potter simply stands back and waits for kiln to fuse its magic into the clay and glaze.