This is all about pit fired pottery made by John Dietrich and Diane McNeil
This lens is all about pit firing at our studio in Door County, Wisconsin and beyond.
All potters are in love with fire and they love any excuse to start one, in a positive way, of course. And if they can get some great looking pots and fabulous art, it's even better.
We fire bisque ware, or pottery that has been fired once, in a big bonfire.
Before we do that, we treat the surface with really great materials, like liquid plant food or a copper salt wash.
All potters are in love with fire and they love any excuse to start one, in a positive way, of course. And if they can get some great looking pots and fabulous art, it's even better.
We fire bisque ware, or pottery that has been fired once, in a big bonfire.
Before we do that, we treat the surface with really great materials, like liquid plant food or a copper salt wash.
Pit Firing at Ellison Bay Pottery
Pit Firing Workshops
Not only do we make beautiful pots and pit fire them regularly, we also conduct pit fire workshops during the spring, summer and fall. We accept groups, too, such as classes from schools, family reunions, Girl Scout troops, church youth groups etc. So we are always teaching our method.
Can't make it to Ellison Bay? We are putting the finishing touches on our workbook manual. An announcement regarding it's launch is coming soon.
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Let's See What Else is Happening in the World of Pit Firing
You know it is a very dynamic subject.
- » » Low-firing and Burnishing
- Now that modern pottery has come full circle to rediscover the beauty of burnished pottery, the history of unglazed pottery around the world is of interest to the modern ceramic artist. ... One of the most exciting ways to fire a burnished pot, pit firing allows pots to pick up black and grey marks from smoke and contact with combustible materials, but they can also pick up vibrant warm red, yellow and pink colours from chemicals added to the pit. ...
- NKP DESIGNS - Ceramic Beads, Pottery, and Clay Whistles by Natalie ...
- 2008-06-27 Island Clay - Naked Raku, Saggar, Pit & Salt - Garden City, NY 2008-06-27 Beverly Mayeri-Small Heads- Sculpture- southern OR 2008-06-28 Matt Towers, "Patterned Porcelain Pots" - Canton, CT 2008-06-29 Kristin Muller, ... 2008-07- 25 Paul Lewing "Water Based China Painting" - Decatur, GA 2008-07-26 Tim Scull, "Fire and Smoke" - Canton, CT 2008-07-27 Luca Tripaldi, "Smoke firing" - Tuscany, Italy 2008-07-28 Meredith Brickell workshop - Asheville, NC ...
- The Potters Shop: Books,Videos, Tools: Technical
- An elegant explanation of Western Raku, saggar, pit, and barrel firing techniques. Very well illustrated in all color. Particularly helpful are photos of work fired using different techniques with start to finish notes on their firing. ..... Essays and presentations on the subject. Fascinating information for the serious student of ceramic history. No color photos, this is a scholarly study. Primitive Pottery-RIEGGER p30.00. Hal Riegger's second book published in 1972 ...
- Ceramic Workshops: LARGE & L O O S E... Polished & Poetic
- How these dynamic blushes occur on the pots without the use of any glazes - it's a contemporary smoke fire process. Saggar firing is not raku. Brenda describes it as a contemporary pit-firing because it is more rooted in primitive ...
Our Favorite Pit Fired Vase in 2008
This was a commissioned piece of pit fired ceramic art
John made this 32" vase in September, 2008 and pit fired it a few weeks later. It was a special order for a couple building a new home. John wanted to throw a big vase for a long time, and this was the excuse he needed.He threw this in 4 pieces, letting the first section firm up (harden to leather hard stage) so that it could support the weight of the next section. It took him all day to throw this and attach the sections. In order to do this, john first built a platform for the chair he sits in while throwing, making him 'taller'. Then he built a platform for the plaster bat he plunked the clay down as the first step to throwing.
Then he had to throw the foot or base and the mouth or top of the vase.
He'd speed up the drying using a heat gun and in that way he could throw and attach the four pieces and then throw the mouth or neck.
It's best to do it that way. That way the pieces attach well. After that is done he would wrap the whole piece in plastic. This slows the drying, helping the whole piece achieve even moisture while it dries. The enemy of clay is uneven drying.
Half way there.
Imagine carrying that around.
John is preparing to throw the next large section for this tall vase, which will end up being close to 32" tall.You can see that he has attached three sections already by the circles around this vase. Those are the marks of the join.
Once John has finished attaching all the pieces and the mouth or top of the vase he will smooth the surface. He uses a rubber or a wooden 'rib' to smooth the surface.
Two 32" inch vases
Just been trimmed and ready to be wrapped
These were the first two john threw and they are trimmed and ready to dry slowly. John will put great big plastic bags over the tops and then wrap the bottom half with open pieces of plastic. Now you know something about me, so let's share...leave me a message and I can learn about you. Exciting, no?!!!!!!
I love Questions? Comments? Suggestions? Stories?
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Amazon Spotlight: Pit Fire Pottery
by dianemcneil
So, I live in Wisconsin...I am presently a potter. In my past lives I was a dairy farmer, twice; a waitress, hostess, housekeeper, front desk manager... (more)
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