As some of you may know from my previous post, this week I completed my first pit firing. If you are interested in knowing more about this fascinating and ancient pottery technique, you can read more about it here.
I pulled these pots out from the pit early this morning. I could not resist getting up early to do so. You see I have been thinking about doing a pit firing for a few years now.
I awoke to a pit that was mostly full of ash, with a few remaining hot coals. Carefully I removed the pots, some of which were still covered with ash.
After a careful and gentle cleaning, I was really happy with some of the results. Particularly pleasing was the fact that not one of my pieces broke! Pit firing is notorious for breakage.
This type of firing requires that you wax the pots afterwards. I used beeswax, which really helped out to bring out the depth of colours in the pieces. Some people use clear coat spray on them, but I wanted to stick with more traditional methods.
These pieces are not water tight or food safe, thus they are purely decorative and little works of art and living history.
Seeing the pit afterwards and after reviewing my notes of what I put in various parts of the pit and applied to the pots, I have some ideas for my next pit firing.
Yes, I am going to try this again.
From a personal perspective, I really enjoyed the process, both on a physical and emotional level. It seems appropriate that this would be one of my first firings after my own trial of fire. From the flames can come great transformation, personal alchemy.
What do you think of this technique and pots? Are there any pieces that speak to you, or that you like? Let me know your thoughts in the comments! If you are interested in seeing more pictures of these and other pieces you can check out my new gallery I have set up for pit fired pottery on this page.
Thanks for reading and have a wonderful day!
I was unfamiliar with this technique. The results are beautiful!
Thank you so much for your kind comment! I like the results, as the effect is so different than you get with more modern techniques!
Those turned out beautifully!!! I love raku 🙂
Thank you for your kind words. Strictly speaking these are not raku, because there was no reduction involved in the process.
Oh, interesting!! Shows how much I know lol
haha! I am a bit of pottery geek who probably makes minor distinctions that most people would not. I hope you are having a great weekend.
I love following new blogs to learn new things 💜 My weekend is going great, hope yours is too!!
The final one is great because of the contrast in it. They are all beautiful though.
Thank you Christine! That is one of my favourite pieces from this firing as well. That piece was definitely in the sweet spot of the pit!
I’d love to do a raku workshop. I’ll have to find out if there is anything local to me.
Hopefully you can find one nearby 😉 I have been tempted to host one here in August!
There are local potters who might offer them
So fierce!!! That one is my favorite, as well.
Some lovely, ethereal decorations. Very successful.
Thank you so much Graham! Overall I was pretty pleased and am inspired to try a few new things in my next pit firing.
Absolutely beautiful. Glad it all worked out for you. Allan
Thank you so much! I hope you have a wonderful weekend Allan!
Awesome! So glad all your pieces survived without breaking! They all look really cool, the first one, and the last one, I love the process!
Thank you so much for your kind comment! I was really pleased everything survived, and that last piece really speaks to the process to me, you can almost see where the flames touched it!
Ihope you have a wonderful weekend!
Absolutely amazing! Each piece has its own unique beauty, never to be duplicated again. Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful experience. 💞
Thank you so much for your kind comment and joining me in the experience through my blog. It is so much fun to be able to share this with you and everyone here on WordPress!
I hope you have a wonderful weekend!
Oh yes! It is such fun for all of us, too! Sending the Sweetest of Blessings and best wishes for your weekend as well, Dear. 💞
Thank you so much for your kind words and thoughts. I hope you had a weekend full of goodness and happiness.
I love the way the last one turned out.
Thank you! That last piece is one of my favourites as well! I hope you have a great weekend!
Thanks, you too!
Exquisite!
Thank you so much! I hope you have a wonderful weekend!
Spectacular! And so much future potential!
A cool title for these vases could be “The phœnix’s ashes”…to symbolize rebirth 😉
Have a nice Friday!
I love your idea for a title and was thinking of that metaphor not only in regards to this firing, but also for life!
I hope you have a wonderful weekend ahead!
Stunning, the traditional finish is amazing and gives an incredible look.
Thank you so much for your kind words. I love the finish because there is a primitive beauty in it. I hope you have a great weekend!
The finish is amazing very unique. You too have a great weekend.
Wow these are so cool.
Thank you so much! I hope you have a great weekend.
Fabulous! I love them!
Thank you 😉 I appreciate your comment and hop that you have a wonderful weekend!
Those are beautiful!!
Thank you! I hope you have a great weekend!
All are awesomely beautiful 😊❤ It’s amazing to see how the pit firing resulted in unique designs to each pot
Thank you so much for your kind words! It is interesting to see how different placements in the pit and materials used has had a different impact. I am keen to experiment some more.
I hope you have a wonderful weekend filled with peace and happiness!
Those are beautiful!
Thank you so much! I hope you have a great weekend!
Fantastic results, you must be over the moon with them. That last one 💜
I am pretty pleased with them. Initially I was not sure, because they are so different from my raku work, but I realized that is what makes them so interesting.
I hope you have a wonderful weekend!
Amazing that nothing broke! That’s a real “wooohooo” moment.
I was pretty excited about that! The pottery gods were smiling on me that day! I hope you have a wonderful weekend!
I probably have heard of pit firing but yours are the first pieces I’ve (knowingly) seen. They are even more beautiful (to me) than your raku pots. Thank you for sharing your life and adventures
Thank you so much for your kind words and reading about my adventures! They have a unique timeless beauty unto themselves and it is hard to even compare.
I hope you have a great weekend!
They’re beautiful and quite unique!
Thank you so much for your kind words! I hope you are having a wonderful weekend!
Staying out of the heat!
Like the phoenix, these beautiful pieces are born out of the ashes. Congratulations!
Thank you so much! What a beautiful comment, I did think of that imagery too! I hope you are having a wonderful weekend!
talentedly
crafted 🙂
The beeswax was new to me. I love how it brings out the colors. It is amazing that these were my human hands. They look as if they are objects made by some mysterious natural process. These are filled with mystery and beauty!
The wax made such a nice finish for these pieces, Thank you so very much for your kind comment and I hope you are having a wonderful day!
Very earthy and antique-looking, which I really appreciate. I can see lovely colorful wildflowers inside for a blend of color and texture, or some dried seed-heads or grasses, or just all by themselves. Your experimentation and natural crafting would make a great YouTube series. And congratulations on your new studio! 😀
Thank you so much for your kind words and ideas. So much has been going on that I have not gotten around to trying some arrangements in my pieces, but I want to before all the flowers are gone! I did set up a youtube channel a little while ago, and really need to get back into that. I hope you are having a wonderful week.
Hi. I have nominated you for the Liebster Award. Here is the link to my post. https://wordpress.com/block-editor/post/blographytoo.photo.blog/1972
Thank you so much for the nomination. Very much appreciated!
Freakin Fantasticlly Beautiful!
Thanks! I hope you are having a great week!
They are stunning! Thank you for sharing them with us here. 🙂
Thank you so much for your kind comment! I hope you are having a wonderful week!
I am! Thank you. I wish the same for you as well! 🙂
Very beautiful. Thank you for sharing.
My pleasure. Thank you for taking the time to check them out. I hope you are having a good day!
I really love how organic they feel. They have a really earthy quality, almost as though they were created through geological processes. Great work!
Thank you so much for your kind words. They do seem like something the Earth made, which is interesting because when they come out of the pit after firing they are literally coming from the work.
I hope you are having a wonderful week and day!
I’m so sorry to hear of your loss. Grief is different for each of us. Please feel the support of my heart here. Continue making beauty from ashes.
Thank you so much for your kindness and heartfelt support. You and the kindness of others here helps to brighten my days and make jumping back into my creative pursuits easier, and for that I am grateful. I hope you are having a wonderful week.
What amazing creations!
Thank you so much for your kind comments!
They look amazing. I’ve seen it on TV before. It is very much removing some control in the process, apply your colours and let the fire do the rest.
Thanks Jamie! Your are right that you have very limited control in the process, all you can do is prepare the best you can through creating the pots and adding the reduction materials and have faith the fire will do it’s job! I already have ideas for some new reduction materials for my next firing like this.
Look forward to seeing the results. I saw someone use banana skins.
I may try those as well! A friend in construction also just gave me a bunch of steel shavings to try as well 😉
I think it’s an amazing experience to reconnect with techniques from so long ago. Plus how beautiful they are. Amazing works of art. Makes you wonder how these things were first discovered!
I have often wondered how the first people to do pottery realized that clay would harden and hold liquid after being in a fire. I suspect it was slow evolving process, and the thought is very fascinating to me as well.
I hope you have a great day and wonderful weekend!
Beautiful Pottery!
Thank you so much for your kind words! I hope you have a great day!
That looks great. I like how your pottery projects have so much effort put into them and have original designs.
Thank you so much! I hope you are having a great start to your week!
Thanks and you, too!
Very beautiful and dynamic. Anand Bose from Kerala
Thank you so much for your very kind comment Anand! I hope you have a wonderful week ahead.
Thanks for sharing.
They are beautiful in their own unique way.
Thank you so much for your very kind words. I hope you are having a great weekend!
Fire is such a powerful element, both creative and destructive. I love how you’re using it to shape and mark your work. Thank you also for stopping by my blog!
You are very welcome and thank you for kind and insightful comment. I find all of the elements inspirational in very different ways!
yes!
Fantastic!
Thank you!
You’re obviously an adept
You are too kind. Thank you!
Wow! These are superb! I have learned a lot from reading this post. Thank you for sharing! 🙂
Thank you so much. I really appreciate your comment and I hope you are having a great day!
You’re very welcome. Thank you also for your support. This particular pottery technique is fascinating. I hadn’t seen this before. The end result is brilliant. 🙂