Handmade Alternative Fired Pottery
Small batch pottery where classical inspiration intertwines with modern design.
What is Alterative Fired Pottery
Horsehair
Horsehair firing traces its roots back to the Navajo Tribal Tradition, yet it has transcended cultures and expanded its horizons to embrace various art forms. The process involves the removal of pottery from the heat, where hair, feathers, or other organic patterns are carefully placed onto the surface. These materials become one with the pottery, leaving behind a carbon mark infused with the essence of smoke and flame. The result is a celebration of tradition and innovation etched onto the pottery's surface.
Saggar
Saggar firing, while rooted over a thousand years ago in China, offers a contemporary twist on pottery preservation. Originally used as a method to protect production pottery from kiln ashes, the modern Saggar method introduces an element of controlled chaos. The saggar, or protective shell, encases the pottery piece and is filled with an array of organic materials, from combustibles to salts, nitrates, and colorants. When the kiln's heat is unleashed, this miniature pit fire of sorts releases its magic within the confines of the saggar, producing vivid and dramatic colors.
Raku
Raku, with its origins dating back to 16th-century Kyoto, embodies a philosophy of simplicity. Evolving from traditional black and red to today's kaleidoscope of metallics and limitless possibilities, this method showcases the beauty of impermanence. The process begins with heating pottery to a specific temperature before it's removed, clad in safety gear. Once withdrawn from its safety confines, it is plunged into a combustible environment, setting the piece ablaze. Finally, the piece is smothered to cool it without exposure to air. In this oxygen-deprived environment, colors blossom, forming intricate and captivating patterns.