Glazing For Wood Firing

Wood firing is probably the most risky firing a potter can do.  Some will argue that you can have a lot of breakage in raku and that is a valid argument.  I don't know if a study has ever been done to prove which type of firing creates the most loss but it might be an interesting topic to discuss while sitting around the wood kiln late at night.  Which do you think is riskier and why?

I'm thinking about this because I just brought a bunch of pots to Shorter University to fire in the anagama up there.  This is actually a pretty easy firing for me since students are available to do most of the work.  I simply had to throw and glaze the pieces.  I'll pick them up when they are finished and work a shift of stoking if needed.  I love stoking the kiln, that's not a problem, but I am also fine with not having to drive the 2 hours up there and back to do the stoking even though it's a really pretty drive.

Wood Kiln at Shorter University

Anyway, I'll be keeping my fingers crossed for another good firing and will post the result here when it's finished.

Check out the gallery page - Future Relics Gallery by Lori Buff