Poop FireHere are some of my most recent works of pitfired ceramics. Pieces range in height from twenty-four inches and over. All pieces are made from either white or red stoneware clay bodies, bisque-fired cone 018, then pitfired.
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Hand-coiled Vase/ Bottle
This is a hand-coiled piece that stands about two feet tall. The form was shaped with a scraper, burnished with a silver spoon, then wrapped in sawdaust and seaweed for the pitfire. I also threw in a good share of mule manure around the piece. Before placing it into the pit, I laid another layer of manure on top of the sawdust bed. I also added some copper chips into the bed before lowering the piece. The colors came out great. |
Hand-coiled Vase
This piece also utilized a combination of organic materials. This piece was fired at the same time, and the resulting colors were very similar. |
Hand-coiled Vase
This vase is one of my favorite pieces. I coiled this amphora on the potter's wheel in two sessions. First, the bottom section, and on the second night, I concentrated on the neck. I coiled several rows, then slowly turned the coils on the wheel to achieve a more symmetrical shape. The whole piece was heavily burnished with a spoon prior to the bisque. When in the pit, I laid a generous amount of manure into the pit. This amphora came out with rich black tones as well as bright reds. |