New Kiln. New Work.

As some of you know, around a year ago we were building this cute little kiln that Peg Udall designed and was published in Jack Troy's Woodfire book. That's where we got the plans..and then tweaked the dimensions a bit- the arch is taller and the stack is more rectangular then square- not to mention more air and flue exits, and spy holes. We built this thing a year ago! Have you been following the story? The story continues. Lately the story has not been concerned with posting on this here blog..but I figured since we fired the kiln again, I think for the fifth time, that I should share with you the results I had from it.


Last weekend.... Andrew and I fired this kiln once more, specifically for a local show at the Holter Museum of Art. It's the annual Ho-Ho-Holter sale that opens next month on the 11th of November. Andrew has had an incredible year full of adventure and lately has landed him a full time job with the State. Congrats my friend. He seems to be enjoying it quite a lot.. but with a new office job comes the repression of dirty jokes and crude humor which seemed to over-flow at this last firing. To say the least, with the beer and bantering between friends and gracious host (Scott the bad-ass host) was a couple days that felt like a vacation that was extremely needed for us all.




After repairing a few areas of the kiln, filling in the bagwall a bit more.. and Scott adding a type of fire-resistant gasket to our door..the kiln fired like a dream. 24 hours after bricking it up... (actually I was the one bricking it up and even before the door was finished Andrew started the fire and, I think, purposfully was trying to smoke me out..because when you get those last few bricks up there it's like a goddamn chimney and...well, I kept getting a mouth full of pre-heat smoke- thanks buddy) the fire was roaring and we were in business.


It's been a wild ride..and it's most satisfying to experience the construction of a kiln like this..and the results of labor well earned. Here are a few of the pots I took out a couple of days ago. They'll be fore sale at the Holter if you're around Helena the next few months.

Thanks..and let the story continue!!!