Sawdust, Horsehair & Raku ... and other alternate firing methods

Pieces fired in a sawdust kiln are unglazed. I usually use porcelain or a white stoneware, but dark stonewares can react beautifully in a sawdust fire, so you'll see them from time to time as well. These pieces are not sealed with glaze and remain more porous than higher fired pieces. As such, they are intended for decorative enjoyment. While some forms resemble functional ware (vases, bowls, etc.), the firing method inspires me to seek more sculptural paths to try and coax even more out of the process.

Most pieces are burnished to a smooth finish before the bisque fire. Some work is painted with ferric chloride, and coloring agents (oxides, chlorides, carbonates) are sprinkled in with the fine sawdust to 'suggest' color possibilities in the fire. The Moondance series was fired with only salt and copper carbonate, with some pieces wrapped in seaweed overnight before the firing (which ate some of the burnish off to give another layer of texture to the finished piece).


Information on all firing techniques, along with more images, will be here soon! If you're interested in seeing samples of my work in any of these techniques before they appear here, please contact me at the link above.

Sawdust Fired - Sunrise Series I: porcelain - wheel thrown and altered, burnished, sawdust fired. Orb is a porcelain closed form that was burnished and horsehair fired.	Raku Fired Teabowl - white crackle and red bronze glazes

doodlepot - carved with oxide relief, sawdust fired