Soda Firing Workshop with Louis Reilly
Deborah Wald, Plate, 2018 (piece fired at KCCG during)
Soda fired using the same clay body the workshop participants will use.
See Louis' work at louisreillystudio.com
Participants will have an in-depth and hands-on opportunity to learn how to fire the KC Clay Guild Soda Kiln using custom clay bodies.
Louis Reilly completed a MFA in Ceramics in 2013 with soda firing as the focus of his thesis. Louis worked on developing unique clay bodies that interact with the sodium vapor in the kiln to form beautiful surfaces without the application of slip or glaze. In this workshop, Louis will share his graduate research with the students. Students in the workshop will gain an understanding of firing the KC Clay Guild Soda Kiln to great success!
Before workshop:
Students create pots using Louis' custom clay body and have them bisque fired. Students will have access to studio to make pieces. Pieces with smooth surfaces, broad planes, and clean shapes will interact best with the sodium vapor.
Saturday 2pm-4pm:
-Short lecture on loading and firing the kiln
-Glaze interior of pots
-Load kiln using wading, seashells
-Candle kiln overnight
Sunday 6am-9pm:
-Hands-on firing of kiln
-Prepare soda mixture
-Artist Talk after body reduction, before soda introduction
-Potluck lunch, BBQ on kiln pad, KCCG to provide proteins, weather dependant
Following Saturday 10am-2pm:
-Unload kiln
-Kiln clean up
Fee: $200 for members, $250 for non-members
10 participant limit
Studio time to make pots included
25 pounds of custom clay body included
Each participant allotted 24”x12”x8” kiln space - example: 4 mugs, 2 dinner plates, and a small vase
A few notes:
-Wear closed-toe shoes during the workshop
-Bring a respirator if you have one
-The more time you spend at the kiln during the firing, the more you will learn. If you hope to learn how to fire this kiln, plan on being at KCCG all day on Sunday.
Questions? studio@kcclayguild.org
Louis Reilly, Bud Vase, 2019
