When I first started making pots, my intentions were clear, I wanted to wood fire. For nearly a decade prior to making pots, I collected pots. I was fascinated by the surfaces of Bizen, Shigaraki and Iga pots in particular. As I began to make pots, I had those surfaces in mind and threw pots to best take advantage of wood firing.
My first problem was I needed to learn to throw, that aside, I also needed access to a wood kiln. As I showed some rudimentary skills, Bill Klock took pity on me and invited me to wood fire at his conventional western wood kiln. Despite the surfaces not looking like drippy Iga, I was hooked. Wood firing was for me.
The whole process of preparing pots to be wood fired, setting up wood for firing and the whole firing process were just magical and intense. I was built for this style of work. I was fortunate to wood fire at a number of places including with Kirk Mangus and with Kohyama Yasuhisa in Asanomiya (Shigaraki), Japan.
Though it has been a number of years since I have wood fired, I would drop everything to go and be part of a wood firing. It is one of those things, you either love the fire or you don’t. I think it is in my blood and I am always ready.
.JPG)