Anagama pottery is an ancient Japanese tradition of natural glazed ceramics that dates back to the 5th Century.  Anagama kilns are built into a hillside and fueled with wood.  The unglazed pots that fill the kiln are painted by flame with wood ash that starts to fuse to clay around 2000 degrees Fahrenheit.  This natural ash glaze is achieved after a labor-intensive process of stoking the kiln around the clock for 3-10+ days. The type of wood, clay body, foresight of the potter and placement of the ware in the kiln all contribute to the final outcome.

I participate in an annual anagama firing every Fall. I apply an iron oxide wash and line my (functional) work with shino. It is then fired for 5 days reaching ^10+, some years reaching as high as ^12. I look forward to this annual firing more than any of my other ceramic endeavors.