Bill Merrill on mon 6 aug 07
The carbonizing and beautifully rough surfaces that are part of the
ancient Shigaraki ware is still being done in Japan. I fired with Shiho
Kanzaki in his wood firing kiln in '97. At the end of the 10 day firing
, the door area (maybe 20 " x 20" ) was filled with wood and then pushed
into the lower level of the kiln. This was done at least 15 times to
build up a large amount of coals. Some of his pots were on the
perimeter of the lower level. He then pulled his "Iga" looking forms
into the thick charcoal bed of coals. The door and kiln was mudded over
so no oxygen would enter the kiln. The pots that were covered in
charcoal had a rough, beautiful grey to black and were partially
encrusted. He also had some of his pieces covered with ash and melted
to a soft yellow white crawled effect. I think that may be important.
I haven't seen a surface in wood fire similar to that. I'm just
relating my experience with Kanzaki Sans kiln. I was on duty at the
very start and the throughout the entire firing cycle. To him after
five days of firing the kiln was held at high temperature. He was most
concerned with the ignition of gases at the top of the chimney stack.
What was wanted was a crown of flame that ignited slightly above the top
of the stack. He called this "piri pira" . The pira pira crown of
thorn flame was continuous as much as the fireman could get. It really
depended on the stoking of the kiln at the right time. After the firing
reached the time and temperature he wanted the firebox was filled again
and again to fill the first chamber . Firing with him was a very
interesting experience. There is an American wood fire potter that
people might look up his name is Jeff Shapiro,
=20
Bill Merrill =20
lyla_kaplan on mon 6 aug 07
hi bill. that 'pira pira' symbolizes the climactic point in the
beautiful movie 'kamataki', filmed authentically at shiho kanzaki's
(and he's actually in the film as the 'monk' praying before the
firing)... i didn't know it has a special name (but of course it
would!) i am curious what it translates to.
--- In clayart@yahoogroups.com, Bill Merrill wrote:
>
> The carbonizing and beautifully rough surfaces that are part of the
> ancient Shigaraki ware is still being done in Japan. I fired with
Shiho
> Kanzaki in his wood firing kiln in '97. At the end of the 10 day
firing
> , the door area (maybe 20 " x 20" ) was filled with wood and then
pushed
> into the lower level of the kiln. This was done at least 15 times
to
> build up a large amount of coals. Some of his pots were on the
> perimeter of the lower level. He then pulled his "Iga" looking
forms
> into the thick charcoal bed of coals. The door and kiln was
mudded over
> so no oxygen would enter the kiln. The pots that were covered in
> charcoal had a rough, beautiful grey to black and were partially
> encrusted. He also had some of his pieces covered with ash and
melted
> to a soft yellow white crawled effect. I think that may be
important.
> I haven't seen a surface in wood fire similar to that. I'm just
> relating my experience with Kanzaki Sans kiln. I was on duty at
the
> very start and the throughout the entire firing cycle. To him
after
> five days of firing the kiln was held at high temperature. He was
most
> concerned with the ignition of gases at the top of the chimney
stack.
> What was wanted was a crown of flame that ignited slightly above
the top
> of the stack. He called this "piri pira" . The pira pira crown of
> thorn flame was continuous as much as the fireman could get. It
really
> depended on the stoking of the kiln at the right time. After the
firing
> reached the time and temperature he wanted the firebox was filled
again
> and again to fill the first chamber . Firing with him was a very
> interesting experience. There is an American wood fire potter that
> people might look up his name is Jeff Shapiro,
>
>
>
> Bill Merrill
>
>
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