NIC COLLINS
PETER SWANSON ( Group of Peter's pots now available)
BRUCE & ESTELLE MARTIN ( Group of pots now available)
STEPHEN PARRY
MARK GRIFFITHS

HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE
The anagama kiln is an ancient type of pottery kiln brought to Japan from China via Korea in the 5th century.
An anagama (a Japanese term meaning "cave kiln") consists of a firing chamber with a firebox at one end and a flue at the other. Although the term "firebox" is used to describe the space for the fire, there is no physical structure separating the stoking space from the pottery space.
The term anagama describes single-chamber kilns built in a sloping tunnel shape. In fact, ancient kilns were sometimes built by digging tunnels into banks of clay.
An anagama kiln is fired with wood as fuel, in contrast to the electric or gas-fueled kilns commonly used by most contemporary potters. A continuous supply of wood is needed for firing, as wood thrown into the hot kiln is consumed very rapidly.
Stoking occurs around the clock and often for many days until a variety of variables are achieved including the way the molten pots look inside the kiln, the temperatures reached and sustained, the amount of ash applied, the wetness of the walls and the pots, etc.

TALK
We are delighted that Bruce Martin has agreed to do a presentation for us on March 10th about the history of contemporary ceramics in New Zealand, and about his travels and studies in Shigaraki, Japan. There will a Q&A session at the end of the presentation.

DATE:
Sunday 10th March 2.00 to 5.00pm
Please contact the gallery as seating is limited.