Soda Fired Ceramics

I am an artist and educator in chicago.

Soda fired ceramics. This class will focus on making various pottery forms intended to be fired in the soda kiln. Inside you will find articles and images from ceramics monthly that demonstrate the exciting aesthetic possibilities with soda firing and share practical technical information soda glaze recipes atmospheric slip recipes soda glazing techniques and tips for firing a soda kiln. In this section ceramic artists will share the results of their experimentation with the salt and soda firing process. Damian teaches pottery classes workshops and kids camps in his efforts to build an.

After each firing a mixture. Soda firing involves the introduction of sodium sources such as soda ash carbonate soda bicarbonate and borax into the kiln environment starting at cone 8. Soda firing is an atmospheric firing technique where soda is introduced into the kiln near top temperature 2350 10. Sodium bi carbonate also know as baking soda the arm and hammer kind and sodium carbonate which is also known as soda ash.

Both types of firing convert sodium to a gaseous state that then flows through the kiln coating the pieces sodium forming a glaze. Oct 31 2014 in the december 2014 issue of ceramics monthly we featured nolan baumgartner and brenda lichman two ceramic artists who primarily soda fire their work. Damian grava vapor fired designs is a ceramic artist specializing in soda fired pottery. Soda firing is done at a variety of different.

Soda firing does not release toxic gasses. The soda combines with the silica alumina iron and other elements in the surface of the wares to produce a glazed or flashed surface. However soda firing has its own distinctive look. Damian works in cone 10 stoneware and porcelain out of westwood art studio in west seattle.

The soda that we use is. I create functional soda fired ceramic objects in an attempt to heighten users enjoyment of everyday rituals. Salt firing releases chlorine gas and thus is a toxic procedure. This board was inspired by baumgartner s and lichman s soda fired work and features soda firing techniques kiln designs and soda fired work from a number of different artists.

Participants will learn to how to glaze and prepare pottery for soda firings as well as learn how to load and fire the kiln. Soda fired pottery new.