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.
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