Anagama Firing 2022

I have recently completed my anagama firing for the year. It was a special event in that I sort the assistance of two up and coming wood firers who I met earlier in the year at the Sturt woodfiring event under the guidance of Kazuya Ishida

I would like to think that I could achieve another firing in ‘Minkie’ this year however there is an enormous amount of work that goes into each firing.

So I am going to have to settle on firing my catenary arch kiln in preparation for my Open Studio 3rd & 4th December 2022 from 10am-4pm both days.

Anagama Firing 2021

I have recently completed my annual anagama firing for 2021. This firing went for 5 days a total of 120 hours.

Works from this firing are available direct from me or through @bess_paddington

Anagama showing firebox and front stack

Anagama Firing 2019

I have recently fired my anagama aka ‘Minkie’. I took 4 days to pack the kiln and then fired her for 70 hours. Slow at first on the floor then moving to stoking through the main door into the firebox. The firing progressed well although there was a period when she stalled due to carbon cobwebs….this is caused by heavy reduction or too generous stoking…this problem was eliminated by stopping stoking all together, leaving the door closed, opening secondary air holes and mouse hole under the ember bed.

The kiln will take several days to cool and then the unpacking begins. Stay tuned for new works.