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anagama

updated wed 1 aug 01

 

Ronan ORourke on sat 17 jul 99

I'm a student in my third year of a degree at Wolverhampton, England. As
part of a kiln project I helped out with the building of an anagama at =
Rufford
craft centre (great site if you haven't already come across it
http://www.ruffordcraftcentre.org.uk/ ). This experience convinced me that
anagama was what I wanted to do.
There are however only a small (but growing) number of practitioners =
this
side of the pond. I would therefor love to here from anyone who works in =
this
field. Of particular interest would be anyone who has built a small =
anagama, as
I would like to build a kiln that I could fill reasonably quickly in order =
to
get regular feedback.
I have only been subscribed to this group for a short time but already =
look
forward to my daily fix=21

thanks for listening

Ronan O'Rourke

christine f brown on mon 19 jul 99




>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> I'm a student in my third year of a degree at Wolverhampton, England.
>As
>part of a kiln project I helped out with the building of an anagama at
>Rufford
>craft centre (great site if you haven't already come across it
>http://www.ruffordcraftcentre.org.uk/ ). This experience convinced me that
>anagama was what I wanted to do.
> There are however only a small (but growing) number of practitioners
>this
>side of the pond. I would therefor love to here from anyone who works in
>this
>field. Of particular interest would be anyone who has built a small
>anagama, as
>I would like to build a kiln that I could fill reasonably quickly in order
>to
>get regular feedback.
> I have only been subscribed to this group for a short time but already
>look
>forward to my daily fix!
>
>thanks for listening
>
>Ronan O'Rourke

Ronan,
The University of New Mexico at Alburquerque Ceramics Department has built
an anagama kiln near Madrid, New Mexico. The website for UNM is
www.unm.edu. I guess you can search for the fine arts department through
the website or just get more information. I believe that Bill Gilbert is
the head of the ceramics department and he was in charge of the building
this project. He also taught the kiln-building class the spring semester of
'99. Scott Rutherford is another person you would want to talk to about the
anagama kiln. A friend of mine told me that they fired the kiln off for the
first time of July 14.
I hope this helps.
Good luck, Chrissy Brown


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John Vandermeulen on wed 26 jul 00


Hello All,
We are in the process of accumulating a 10-12 place dinner set - plates,
bowls, platters, etc. - of hand-thrown stoneware, pieces coming from
different potters all over. Does anyone know a potter (US, Canada) who
has anagama fired functional stuff? ( Maybe I should include Japan, if
there are none on this side.)
Many thanks,
John Vandermeulen, Nova Scotia, Canada

Tony Ferguson on sun 29 jul 01


Ok, Mike

The longer you fire the more ash you get. Have twice
as much wood as you think you need. Cutting wood
while you are firing the kiln is a bad idea. If you
want lots o' ash, shake and bake--put it on the pot.
The end justifies the means. Traditions are meant to
be simultaneously modified and retained.

Tony Ferguson Duluth, MN





--- Michael Ratzmann wrote:
> Hi there,
> anybody who can help me to calculate or just tellme
> the need of wood for an anagama similar to White &
> Frederick (www.artistpotters.com) for a well ash
> glaze result.
> Thanks a lot in advance
>
> Michael Ratzmann
> Präsident der Gruppe RAKUMANIA
>
> Sonnergasse 38
> A-1120 Vienna
> Austria
>
>
______________________________________________________________________________
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change
> your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be
> reached at melpots@pclink.com.


=====
--Tony Ferguson, fergyart@yahoo.com(218) 727-6339Looking to see, buy or barter artwork go to:http://www.geocities.com/fergyart/fergyartmainpage.html

Michael Ratzmann on sun 29 jul 01


Hi there,
anybody who can help me to calculate or just tellme the need of wood =
for an anagama similar to White & Frederick (www.artistpotters.com) for =
a well ash glaze result.
Thanks a lot in advance

Michael Ratzmann
Pr=E4sident der Gruppe RAKUMANIA

Sonnergasse 38
A-1120 Vienna=20
Austria

karen terpstra on mon 30 jul 01


Hi Michael,
I just looked up the web site. It's a nice looking kiln. If you are
thinking of building the same, you could try to contact them. I'm sure
they would be happy to tell you what kind of wood they use and how much
they go through in a day, length of firing, etc.

There are so many variables especially in the type of wood that is
available to you. I usually plan for a cord (8 ft x 4 ft x 4 ft) of
wood per day with plenty of extra. We get the wood ready well in advance
before the firing. If there's one thing I hate, it's that noisy chain
saw or log splitter in my ear when I'm trying to enjoy the firing. Doing
the wood ahead keeps the crews strength up and concentration is on the
kiln.

Karen Terpstra

> Date: Sun, 29 Jul 2001 10:19:23 +0200
> From: Michael Ratzmann
> Subject: Anagama
>
> Hi there,
> anybody who can help me to calculate or just tellme the need of wood
> =
> for an anagama similar to White & Frederick (www.artistpotters.com)
> for =
> a well ash glaze result.
> Thanks a lot in advance
>
> Michael Ratzmann
> Pr=E4sident der Gruppe RAKUMANIA

Carolyn Jacobson on mon 30 jul 01


Call Bill Shallalies at Nassau Community College 516 572-8040. He has an
anagama kiln. Carolyn

Tony Ferguson on mon 30 jul 01


I have a Fergygama. he he. Feel free to contact me if
you want any info.

Tony Duluth, MN


--- Carolyn Jacobson wrote:
> Call Bill Shallalies at Nassau Community College 516
> 572-8040. He has an
> anagama kiln. Carolyn
>
>
______________________________________________________________________________
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change
> your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be
> reached at melpots@pclink.com.


=====
--Tony Ferguson, fergyart@yahoo.com(218) 727-6339Looking to see, buy or barter artwork go to:http://www.geocities.com/fergyart/fergyartmainpage.html

Ian Currie on wed 1 aug 01


Hi Tony

This has to be brief... But it is important to realize that cold applicat=
ion
of the ash gives a COMPLETELY different result.

The effect of natural firing ash is a combination of almost moltern ash p=
lus
(importantly!) vapour blowing through the kiln at nearly white hot
temperature. It blows through the kiln producing variable penetration of
ash and vapour in between pots and clay in close proximity that often giv=
es
"rainbow" spreads from heavy deposit to bare clay. There are also differ=
ent
ways of deposition, sometimes powdering on to give "goma" (sesame seed) i=
f
the degree of maturity (cone number) is just right... in some parts of th=
e
kiln the gases move faster depositing less ash but leaving flame marks. =
In
other words the fire has a large and varied range of ways of marking the
pot.

Comparing this to cold application is a completely different sausage. No=
t
wrong, just different. However my bias is definitely towards the hot
version because of the greater degree of variation in effect, particularl=
y
the vapour effects, and an appreciation of the beauty of the natural
process. I have experimented with blowing cold ash through the hot fireb=
ox
etc. at firing maturity. Variable results, rather inconclusive because I
was not that concerned with getting crusty pots, and decided I couldn't b=
e
bothered... but I know with experiment one can get good results. If I
wanted to continue with this I would probably be introducing (a little) s=
alt
or soda too.

Regards

Ian
http://ian.currie.to/


From: Tony Ferguson
To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
Date: Monday, 30 July 2001 9:51
Subject: Re: Anagama


>Ok, Mike
>
>The longer you fire the more ash you get. Have twice
>as much wood as you think you need. Cutting wood
>while you are firing the kiln is a bad idea. If you
>want lots o' ash, shake and bake--put it on the pot.
>The end justifies the means. Traditions are meant to
>be simultaneously modified and retained.
>
>Tony Ferguson Duluth, MN
>
>
>
>
>
>--- Michael Ratzmann wrote:
>> Hi there,
>> anybody who can help me to calculate or just tellme
>> the need of wood for an anagama similar to White &
>> Frederick (www.artistpotters.com) for a well ash
>> glaze result.
>> Thanks a lot in advance
>>
>> Michael Ratzmann
>> Pr=E4sident der Gruppe RAKUMANIA
>>
>> Sonnergasse 38
>> A-1120 Vienna
>> Austria
>>
>>
>________________________________________________________________________=
___
___
>> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>>
>> You may look at the archives for the list or change
>> your subscription
>> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>>
>> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be
>> reached at melpots@pclink.com.
>
>
>=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D
>--Tony Ferguson, fergyart@yahoo.com(218) 727-6339Looking to see, buy or
barter artwork go to:http://www.geocities.com/fergyart/fergyartmainpage.h=
tml
>
>________________________________________________________________________=
___
___
>Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
>You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
>settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
>Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
melpots@pclink.com.