Smoke Firing
Smoke firing provides a way to give a unique look to pottery pieces that can not be replicated exactly, intentionally or otherwise. Here an old 30-gallon galvanized garbage pail is being used to do the firing. Ventilation holes have been drilled around the perimeter of the pail.
Pots, which have been previously bisque-fired to remove moisture and strengthen them, are placed in layers of sawdust and wood shavings. The top of the contents are lit and allowed to burn down completely, a process which can take up to 3 or 4 days even in a relatively small container like this.
There are many things that can be done to the pots to alter the outcome of the smoke firing. Metal oxides such as copper carbonate can be added to the layers or washed onto the pieces to cause a variety of colors to develop in the heat and smoke. Materials, such as steel wool can be attached to cause interesting effects. Organic materials such as leaves can be held against the pots with clay or paper wrapping to cause images to appear on the pots. The final results are not totally predictable and, at the end of the firing, the mass of ash, soot, and pots at the bottom of the pail can look quite discouraging.
Breakage is always a risk in smoke firing but, with luck, most pots will remain intact and it is exciting to pull each one from the ashes to see what effects were produced in the firing. Each pot is carefully cleaned to remove excess soot and ash.
Unlike with glazing, pots retain a flat matte appearance from the smoke firing. The tones and hues are enhanced with a coating or two of paste wax which also can add a sheen to the surface. In any case, these pots cannot be used with water or food as they are still porous. They should be enjoyed as decorative pieces born of smoke and fire.
