Smoke-fired
pottery, sometimes called pit-fired pottery, is the oldest pottery known
to man. Smoke-fired shards dating back 10,000 years have recently been
discovered in Japan. Many civilizations including Egyptians and native
North Americans used smoke-firing methods.
I specialize in smoke-fired porcelain clayware. After the clay pots have been thrown, trimmed and hand burnished, they are bisque fired in an electric kiln. This strengthens the clay, but leaves it porous enough to receive the carbon which deposits on the surface of the clay during smoke-firing. The pots are then placed in an outdoor, brick kiln surrounded by sawdust, twigs, pinecones, and other experimental, natural combustible materials. Kindling is added on the top of the kiln and is lit. The kiln usually smolders for 6-12 hours.
During the firing the carbon, from the smoke, deposits on the surface of the clay producing unique, uncontrolled designs and patterns. Colours vary from pale greys to black, taupes to dark browns and flashes of burgundy. It's always a wonderful surprise when the kiln is opened.
After the kiln is cooled, I remove and clean the pots. At this point I decide whether to keep the smoke-fired pot whole or make it into a smoke-fired shard pot. If the pot lends itself to becoming a shard pot, I wrapped it in a towel. With a hammer I carefully break the pot into shards. These shards are re-fired in the smoke-firing kiln, cleaned, dried and reassembled to form the original pot. Gold leaf lacquer is painted on the cracks and seams of the pot.
The technique of adding a gold lacquer to the cracks and seams of the reassembled pot is called NAOSHI. This Japanese technique of repairing pottery called dates back to the 17th century. When the pot is completed, I wax and buff the surface of the pot.. The beautiful shine enhances the smoke-fired colours and designs on the pot. The result is a unique smoke-fired shard pot.
I specialize in smoke-fired porcelain clayware. After the clay pots have been thrown, trimmed and hand burnished, they are bisque fired in an electric kiln. This strengthens the clay, but leaves it porous enough to receive the carbon which deposits on the surface of the clay during smoke-firing. The pots are then placed in an outdoor, brick kiln surrounded by sawdust, twigs, pinecones, and other experimental, natural combustible materials. Kindling is added on the top of the kiln and is lit. The kiln usually smolders for 6-12 hours.
During the firing the carbon, from the smoke, deposits on the surface of the clay producing unique, uncontrolled designs and patterns. Colours vary from pale greys to black, taupes to dark browns and flashes of burgundy. It's always a wonderful surprise when the kiln is opened.
After the kiln is cooled, I remove and clean the pots. At this point I decide whether to keep the smoke-fired pot whole or make it into a smoke-fired shard pot. If the pot lends itself to becoming a shard pot, I wrapped it in a towel. With a hammer I carefully break the pot into shards. These shards are re-fired in the smoke-firing kiln, cleaned, dried and reassembled to form the original pot. Gold leaf lacquer is painted on the cracks and seams of the pot.
The technique of adding a gold lacquer to the cracks and seams of the reassembled pot is called NAOSHI. This Japanese technique of repairing pottery called dates back to the 17th century. When the pot is completed, I wax and buff the surface of the pot.. The beautiful shine enhances the smoke-fired colours and designs on the pot. The result is a unique smoke-fired shard pot.
Shard Vase
NAOSHI
is the
17th century Japanese style of repairing pottery using
gold lacquer.
17th century Japanese style of repairing pottery using
gold lacquer.
Smoke-fired
Shard Pot
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Vera Tempelmans Plat
Stoney Creek, Ontario, Canada
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