Laid Back Woodfiring-kiln building workshop with Steve Harrison - the old preview

Laid Back wood firing

Kiln building workshop with Dr. Steve Harrison (Australia) at Alt Gaarz (from the announcement in 2009).

The idea for this workshop arose when Sandy Lockwood asked me how many kilns I’d have under this big kiln shed. The answer was: One. But I asked myself: Why not more? Sandy recommended Steves book »Laid Back wood firing« I bought it and asked him a whole lot of questions. At that time I could not imagine that there would be once the possibility to visit him or to have him here. But when I was in Mittagong for the wood fire conference it changed. Now we are planning a small kiln with bourry box for salting that I’d like to have beneath my 3 m3 kiln for my clay and glaze experiments and for making orders more quickly. I’m interested in Steves way of firing that he describes in his book as follows: »...This is an excellent way to get those heavy ash deposits without spending days on doing it. You don’t even have to wear a head band or chop the sleeves off your T shirt to get there (although you can if you want to). This is the great heresy. Laid back wood firing, start in the morning, finish in the night, go to bed the same day that you got up. Live a normal live, make beautiful objects and enjoy your firing. You can even do it in the city because there is so little smoke or pollution...«

Norm Wheeler (CN): »Steve, you are to be blessed and thanked... Our previous firings have left my good wife and I shattered. This firing was a dream, calm, dignified, orderly, almost effortless. Actually, as we walked away from the kiln we both felt as though we had left something out!!! This was too easy, we feel great. So once again thankyou very much for the guidance, direction and support offered in your writings.«