Brain Garden

You wanna fly, you got to give up the shit that weighs you down.” - Toni Morrison

So, here’s a place for the ideas weighing on my mind to take root and grow.

Adventures in Pottery, Pt. 3

Whether it was the insulation on the kiln, or my lack of fuel, I needed to start over with firing. I researched small kilns in an effort to build something that I could feasibly use in a back yard of my apartment setting.

Then I found the work of LiMing Zhang.

He is a potter and kiln builder who makes small scale kilns. After looking at much of his work, I decided to attempt to emulate his process.

I start by making more clay through a dry processing method and built a vessel to be a kiln. I had doubts that it would be effective because his kilns cracked even though their walls were much thicker than the one I created but I figured it was worth a shot.

I drafted a flat pattern for a 3 gallon cavity that I could use to cut out clay slabs.

I drafted a flat pattern for a 3 gallon cavity that I could use to cut out clay slabs.

The bottom slab for the kiln that I added ridges to indicate the fire box (right) and the firing chamber (left).

The bottom slab for the kiln that I added ridges to indicate the fire box (right) and the firing chamber (left).

A slab wall rolled out with edges tapered, about to be scored and slipped.

A slab wall rolled out with edges tapered, about to be scored and slipped.

Kiln box assembled with objects to keep sides from caving in. Needs to dry before making the lids.

Kiln box assembled with objects to keep sides from caving in. Needs to dry before making the lids.

The two vents in the back that air will be pushed in through.

The two vents in the back that air will be pushed in through.

The grated slats that allow air to pass through the kiln as well as the block in the middle to force an up then down convective direction.

The grated slats that allow air to pass through the kiln as well as the block in the middle to force an up then down convective direction.

The making to using a clay kiln is that it needs to be fired before firing. So, I took this and all of the pots to a place where I could pit fire. I decided to pit fire the pots as well in case the kiln did not survive.

Preparing to fire and re fire the pots and kiln!

Preparing to fire and re fire the pots and kiln!

The pit fire was a success. I successfully created ceramic. As I anticipated the kiln fell apart. I believe the clay had a lot of sand in it which led to a particularly destructive quartz inversion (the silica crystals realign which can cause cracks and fissures if it does not happen evenly through the whole body). Some of the pots also suffered cracking but I believe this was an issue of the uneven heat more than the quartz inversion since I processed the potting clay more thoroughly.

Chopping wood is very cathartic.

Chopping wood is very cathartic.

Filling the bottom of the pit with wood and saw dust. The sawdust will slow the burn down and create even heat in the late stage of the firing. At least, according to the internet.

Filling the bottom of the pit with wood and saw dust. The sawdust will slow the burn down and create even heat in the late stage of the firing. At least, according to the internet.

Placing the objects on top of the fuel.

Placing the objects on top of the fuel.

Covering the objects with more fuel.

Covering the objects with more fuel.

Built fire, ready to burn.

Built fire, ready to burn.

He’s a big fan of mine.

He’s a big fan of mine.

With the fire ignited, we continued to chop and feed it  more logs for the next four hours.

With the fire ignited, we continued to chop and feed it more logs for the next four hours.

The inside of the pot in the very middle of this image is glowing red. That means it is at a low fire ceramic stage!

The inside of the pot in the very middle of this image is glowing red. That means it is at a low fire ceramic stage!

After we kept it at the low fire ceramic stage for a couple hours, we stopped feeding it and left it to smolder out over night. This is the result.

After we kept it at the low fire ceramic stage for a couple hours, we stopped feeding it and left it to smolder out over night. This is the result.

From this I learned that whatever kiln I build needs to have thicker walls and be made of a more reliable material. I also researched ways to prevent cracking in the pots and learned that grog (ground up ceramic) can be used as a stabilizing additive that minimizes cracking while firing. In the original pottery technique video, I saw this added but did not understand the significance. They pit fired successfully and I think the grog was a key factor.

Picking through the ashes, it was still warm the next morning and some coals re-ignited.

Picking through the ashes, it was still warm the next morning and some coals re-ignited.

All but one of the pots are functionally in tact!

All but one of the pots are functionally in tact!

The kiln, not so much. But, it can be used as grog!

The kiln, not so much. But, it can be used as grog!

Time for a bath.

Time for a bath.

This was a great experiment and I feel I know how to make more pots successfully in the future. I am excited to take this further. Next step for the current pots is to clean them, seal the cracks, make legs, and put some plants in them!

Ikeadi Ndukwu