Anagama & Manibigama Wood Kilns
We fire in two wood kilns. A large portion of my wood fired work comes out of an Anagama wood kiln. The kiln was built outside of Taos in 2005 under the direction of John Bradford. Because of its size, the Anagama is only fired in the spring and the fall. The Anagama is approximately twenty feet long, and is fired for 7 days using close to 7 cords of pine and cottonwood. The pottery from this kiln has heavy ash deposits and long distinct flame marks characterized by a longer, slow firing in such a massive kiln.
The other wood kiln is a modified manibigama, or learning kiln. The kiln was built in 2009 and is used to fire most of my functional wood fired work. The kiln is also used for workshops and is also available to Taos Clay studio members and residents. This kiln fires off faster, roughly 16-36 hours and is easier to load and fire off on shorter cycles. It is roughly 35 cubic feet and is located behind the studio. Often the back half of the kiln is soda fired. I introduce close to 4 pounds of soda ash in the second fire box. The sodium bicarbonate adheres to the silica in the clay bodies and slips and fluxes, creating a glaze. This work is often distinguished by a soft satin matt or bluish green tint on the side of a piece. This work often has more glaze than the pots loaded in the Anagama and is often times a lot smaller. All of the brick for the two kilns was harvested from a 1900's coal fired electrical plant in Alamosa, Colorado.
