Tartan News ane

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The August firing of the Tozan was a
successful and harmonious firing. There
were some very beautiful pots char came
out of che firing. “We also ran several
workshogs during the cooling period of the
kiln. Al Tennant builc and fired a paper
kal, foe Winter gove some great chrowing
dps, Ernie Watkins shared on wood-firing
and Gorden Hutehens did a throwing
workshop with clay and glaze formulas,
which culminated in a raku fring in his
new portable kiln. David Lloyd acted asa
translater for Yukic Yamamote’s workshop
which demonstrated handbuilding amd his
delightful philesophy on life and petting.
A. great time was had by all.

We are rentacively planning an anagama
fing for Qetober 15ch. This firing ia a
prelude to a Ladies Firing later in che year,
lt waa felt chat ad we are noc yer completely
atease with the kiln, one more practice
firing thauk] be dene. Anyone interested
in giving up their pors to the kiln should
contact Maureen at 604/245-4867 eo sign
up for shifts and work parties.

Jen Jokimen

Toran Philosophy and History

Potters are nocorious addicts; chey have to
be. They devore themselves in a lifelong
apprenticeship to a complex and
demanding process. In spite of the huge
mass of data ancumulated by centuries of
industrial production and experimencation,
there are always surprises, always some
unexpected interaction in the kiln - che
best piece you've done in years lost to a
erack, a bubble of gas - of anocher piece is
elevared to heart-stopping beaucy because
the fire caughce ic and dazzled ir with flare
thac stayed im colour and shape alter the
fire cooled.

The moar extreme addict is the setrer
coughe by the magic of wood-firing, Clay is
turned co stone through excremes of heac.
The nature of that stene, its surface and
colour, how it moves and warps while it

is moloto, bas todo with the nature of
the fire if came from. Elecore Gring is
neutral and controlled, what was in che
clay is what you ave in che stone, neither
more of less. Gas is more interactive
becween the fire and the clay, taking
oxygen from the clay. But wood fire noc
only takes, ic also gives to the clay.
Everyching thar is in the wood when it
burns encers into che kiln's atmosphere
and becomes part of the forming stone.
The ash af different woods, shrubs, grasses
and seaweeds all have elements which
affece the colour and surtace of the
pottery.

Wood comes in uneven chunks. Ic burns
unevenly, pushing and pulling the gases
around it - breathing massively, violently,
flames licking and searching around pots,
leaving sear marks as dazzling as the
orginal flame. [cis moc a facile fancy chat
refers co the Tozan kiln as a breathing
dragon - for five days and nights it is
overwhelmingly so,

The Tozan isa unique variation of the
Japanese hill-climbing, wood fired kiln.
There are only chree tozan kilns in
existence, one of them right here in
Nanaimo. This type of kiln allow pieces
to be fired without bisquing or glazing,
and heavy pieces of sculpeure can be fined
withouc the usual problems being
encountered. Also they have an
additional fire box or chamber, called the
doge house. The doge house allows the
firing of additional pieces of pottery and
has special firing effects that are unique.

AD arenes,
ar singlc-
chambered
clbnibang aiin

=

The original Tozan kiln was in use from
L722 ow 1960, producing ware for the
feudal Lord of Himegi. Dr. Yamamota
revived the Tozan pottery in 1970, and
later built the ane in Arttona that
inspited Les Beardsley to do so here.

Alter a huge amount of work and
inunens: dedication on the part ot the
founding members, the kiln lives!

Some (lamments by Yuk Yarmimater

» As soon as the kiln ts ftred, it begins fo
reveal its own unique personality. Ir
offers up sounds, smoke, odors and
varying shapes of flame. The kiln is
beginning co “talk". So now you can have
a conversation with the kiln...
- When you have finished che firing...
you may find chart some of the portery las
not fired properly. You must expecc this
sometimes. A kiln and mature do mor
always work as we would wane. We need
such experiences. On the other hand,
however, the pleasure af a successful
firing is often beyond words.
Keeping records and making notes of
each firing do mot always help. No matter
hew many cimes I fire a kiln, che mext
time is as if it were the very fire. You
experience strange variations and
imbalances (actually, a difficule wood
firing is cruly interesting). [ have trouble
understanding the theory of “chacs”, but |
respect ic. A wood-fired kiln can take
you inte a world of chaos.
-A firing often produces unusual results
and thes: can be admired for their beauty
-Yohen, Sometimes auch variations are
looked upon as expensive or ever
priceless. This is not by accident. This
has been broughe abour by the laws of
nacure.
- A wood-fired kiln is not a one person
operation. It requires the co-operation
THE TOZAN RILN
asia lg
Nara, BC,

Fring chambers,
gach further up
fre bill then [he

af many people working in shifts. You
have co depend on and trust your ca-
workers during the entire firing, Unity is
ioyporeanne,

Yuloo Yamamoto.