Ying's Art
Sculptures and Oil Paintings
by Ying Muncy
Wood Fired Ceramics
Firing Methods and Results
Wood Firing
Relatively few working potters use wood as a fuel for making pottery. The process is demanding and requires a great deal of time. Intensive labor is needed for preparing wood, as well as, maintaining and firing the kiln.
Some potters use wood for ecological reasons, however most choose wood firing because of the effects achieved from fly ash and flashing.
Wood firing is not the easiest method for producing matching wares. It is best utilized by potters seeking unique & natural process driven surfaces, which result from firing with wood as a fuel.
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Pit fired Ceramics
Pit firing is the original method for “baking” clay. It dates back nearly 30,000 years ago. This process is done typically in a hole in the ground, or a pit, pots are placed in the pit and burned. Pit firing is an atmospheric process all of the colors and patterns are derived from the process and what is consume in the fire. Items that are burned will turn to vapor and will swirl around the pieces in the pit. If the pieces are hot enough to have their pores open the colored vapor will enter the pore and stay there, if not pot will not have color besides black, gray, or white. There are several variations in which to do a pit fire.