"Brickhouse"

March 2021
Juror Statement : Ben Blackwood
BRICKHOUSE is an appreciation of our wood kilns, the time we spend stoking them, and how that time spent impacts the work we make. Strong forms that were clearly informed by and made for the wood firing process were chosen over pieces that were “lucky” enough to catch good flashing or a nice drip. Intelligent use of clay bodies, slips, and glazes that reflected knowledge of and experience with wood kilns were favored over surfaces that could have been created using other, less intensive processes. My favorite works were from those of you who boldly stepped forward with the crunch and the grit, who exposed the interiors of clay bodies and embraced the wood kilns ability to erode our clays and deteriorate our glaze. Compelling forms and mature surfaces come together as we pay homage to the structures we use to bring our work to fruition, extensions of our studios, each and everyone’s own BRICKHOUSE.

West Virginia stoneware, wood ash liner glaze
4.25” x 3.25”
Fired in a train kiln at the Oki Doki Studio in Germantown, NY.
Kiln build in 2020 by Bruce Dehnert.
Statement from the artist:
“This was the fourth firing of this train kiln and each firing reveals more about how different train kiln’s are from the angama’s I am used to firing. This tea bowl was fired in a joint firing with my friend Harrison Levenstein and the owner and director of The Oki Doki Studio, Susan Kotulak.”

Ran unprocessed rhyolite
5.5” x 8.5” x 5”
Fired in the flue of a catenary arch kiln at Montana State University.
Kiln was built by MSU students and named Cat Arch.
Statement from the artist:
“The first time I ever fired this kiln I can remember axing away at frozen wood at 3am trying to get it to reach temperature. I rebuilt a significant part of this kiln before leaving MSU so that it can fire for another 20 years.”

Stoneware, shino glaze
9” x 8” x 5”
Fired to cone 8 and reduction cooled in an anagama kiln at the Cub Creek Foundation in VA.
Kiln was built in 2012 by John Jessiman and named Johnagama.
Statement from the artist:
“An anagama like tube kiln, the kiln features a straight wall design with a casted arch. The smaller of two kilns at Cub Creek Foundation. The kiln fires smoothly and has responded well to reduction cooling cycles providing a variety of surfaces and zones for myself and fellow residents to learn from.”

Iron rich stoneware
3” x 4” each
Fired in a train/ anagama hybrid at Utah State University in Logan, UT
Kiln was built in 2017 by Todd Hayes and the USU kiln building class and is named Bob.

Porcelain
5.5” x 8” x 8”
Fired in a cross draft kiln in Clarkston, MT
Kiln was built in 2020 by the artist and is named Grass Hopper.
Statement from the artist:
“This kiln was a product of the pandemic and rejection letters. I designed and built it because I needed access to a wood kiln to further explore my work. It was designed to be inexpensive and easy to build as it is off grid. It sits on a bed of sand with a dugout firebox and a stoke door through the front much like a groundhog kiln. The arch is laid using the squinch method, swelling in the middle and narrowing into the chimney similar to an anagama. The squinch method in essence, is laying the bricks at a 45 degree angle into or over a corner, so the arch supports itself and does not require a form. The ware area is roughly 60”x30”x36” and the kiln is fired for two to three days. To my knowledge it's a relatively unique kiln, certainly unique in the region as few to no kiln builders in the US use the squinch method.”

Cone 10 stoneware, cone 04 earthenware, cone 10 porcelain
13” x 9” x 7”
Fired in an anagama train hybrid at the Melvin Graduate Art Studios in Bozeman, MT
Kiln built in 2013 by David Peters and is named The Chubby Train.

Porcelain, flashing slip
8” x 8” x 6”
Fired in a train kiln in Stonewall, Manitoba.
Kiln was built in 2009 by the artist and is named Frostenberg.
Statement from the artist:
“I built my wood kiln after realizing I could be nothing but a wood firer. I tried to fire in other ways, but it just wasn’t me. It takes more than 30 hours to fire my kiln, and after the first couple firings, in which I tried to sleep between shifts, I gave up and now stay up for most of the firing, along with my husband and whoever else may be firing with us. At least I only fire twice a year!”

Standard 108 red clay, stretched clay, slip
3.5” x 6.5”
Fired in an ana-noborigama kiln at Adamah Studios in Dodgeville, WI.
Kiln built in 2007 by David Smith.
Statement from the artist:
“I have had the incredible opportunity to fire work in this kiln twice: the first time was firing the catenary arch, the second time we filled fired the front chamber. This kiln is a beast! A grand total of 25’ long, the front chamber is 12’ deep and 6’ wide. The height of the interior is 52” at its apex. The kiln is located in the beautiful Driftless Area of Wisconsin, on the grounds of Adamah Clay Studios.”

Porcelain, flashing slip
4” x 2.75” x 2.75”
Fired in an anagama kiln in Sharon, NH
Kiln was built in 2014 by John Baymore. This kiln is named Fushigigama.

Porcelain casting slip, wood, epoxy
15.5” x 3.5” x 5”
Fired in a straight catenary tube kiln at Queens University of Charlotte, NC
Kiln built in 2019 by the advanced 3D studio class and named The Betsy.
Statement from the artist:
“The Betsy was the first kiln that I was involved in building. It was also a project that I served a leadership position in. My advanced studio class and I built The Betsy together in the fall of 2019. In the dead heat of a southern summer, we were sweating through our clothes every day, and loving every second of it. Watching something come to fruition through the collective effort of invested individuals was an empowering experience and that involvement has influenced our firing process since.”

White stoneware, colemanite glaze, wood ash
14” x 10” x 13”
Fired in a catenary cross draft wood kiln at Montana State University.
Kiln was built in 2008 by Josh DeWeese and MSU students.
Statement from the artist:
“This is the kiln that I have built my wood fire career on. It is the most decrepit old kiln, but it gets the job done. If you want salt ware, you got it. If you want ash ware, it’s all yours for the taking. This is a tried and true kiln that has gifted many ceramics students with the wonder and imagination for wood firing.”

Stoneware, glaze
13” x 6” x 9”
Fired in an Anagama kiln at black mountain Sherman Gulch in Missoula.
This kiln was built in 2000 by a resident at the Clay Studio of Missoula.
Statement from the artist:
“Wood firing is such an amazing group experience and the organic results match up with what I am trying to achieve artistically with my sculptures, particularly the bison. My goal is to add depth to each piece by telling a story without words.”

Stoneware
8” x 5 “ x 21”
“The work shown here has been fired in a Catenary Arch cross draft wood kiln that is located in the ceramics department at Montana State University. The Cat Arch was built in 2010 by Joshua Deweese during a kiln building class. I have enjoyed firing this kiln during my time at MSU and have spent the most time using this kiln than any of the others on campus. I have pretty much learned how a kiln works through this Cat Arch and how to fire in different atmospheres in this kiln including soda firings, using different woods and salt, still relying on wood for the fuel source. I feel that this kiln is a great style of directional kiln. It's straightforward and fun to fire. I love it.”

Iron Rich Rhyolitic Clay
8” x 16”
Fired in the flue of a catenary arch kiln at Montana State University.
Kiln was built by MSU students and named Cat Arch.
Statement from the artist:
“The first time I ever fired this kiln I can remember axing away at frozen wood at 3am trying to get it to reach temperature. I rebuilt a significant part of this kiln before leaving MSU so that it can fire for another 20 years.”

Stoneware, wood ash
8.5” x 5”
Fired in an anagama kiln in Cincinnati, OH.
Kiln was built in 2016 by Chuck Pate, Scott Ross, Ben Chamberlain and others.
Statement from the artist:
“The Massive kiln is built into the hillside at Chuck Pate’s home. The kiln requires 3 days to load and 7-10 days for a full firing. The firing crew is a team of 5-6 potters and dear friends who reside on the property for the length of the firing. Traditionally Chuck Pate’s 2 sons (Emmett 9 years and Sawyer 6 years) light the external firebox at the beginning of the firing. The crew highly values its sustenance during the firings and cooking excellent meals is a priority for the crew.
Due to the size of the kiln, typically a full firing occurs every June with dates planned a year in advance. The cooling process requires the same length of time as the firing. The kiln is typically still over 100 degrees fahrenheit when opened a week later.”

Porcelain
14” x 10”
Fired in an anagama in Missoula, MT.
Kiln named Brickhouse.
Statement from the artist:
“It was great to fire with my son again.”

2” x 1”
Fired in a tube kiln in Ogie Thorpe County, Georgia.
Kiln was built in 2020 by the artist and is named Crom.
Statement from the artist:
“I have been building kilns out of the clay here in Georgia. I have been making individual bricks with Portland cement. Sometimes the bricks over the firebox will melt and collapse. I have been taking steps to prevent this. Woodfiring is extremely difficult.”

2.5” x 1.5”
Fired in a tube kiln in Ogie Thorpe County, Georgia.
Kiln was built in 2020 by the artist and is named Crom.
Statement from the artist:
“I have been building kilns out of the clay here in Georgia. I have been making individual bricks with Portland cement. Sometimes the bricks over the firebox will melt and collapse. I have been taking steps to prevent this. Woodfiring is extremely difficult.”

Porcelain
12” x 12” x 10”
Fired in an anagama at the Clay Studio of Missoula.
Statement from the artist:
“I thoroughly enjoy firing the Clay Studio kiln, as it is crewed by a like-minded group of friends. Firings are as much social events as opportunities to get excellent work from the kiln.”

Iron stoneware
6” x 6” x 7”
Fired in a V8 kiln at Oklahoma University in Norman, OK
Kiln built in 2018 by Doug Casebeer and named V8.

Stoneware, red art slip, amber celadon glaze
5” x 5”
Fired in a straight catenary tube kiln at Queens University of Charlotte, NC
Kiln built in 2019 by Professor Denny Gerwin, Morasha, and her fellow advanced studio classmates. This kiln is named Betsy
Statement from the artist:
“The Queens University of Charlotte Advanced 3D studio built this kiln in 2019. Alongside my professor the building of the kiln took around two months to build. I served in a leadership role during the building and subsequent firings. This mug came from the second firing of the ‘Betsy’ in November 2020. It was a skeleton crew, four people total, 12 hours on and 6-12 off. The firing crew was so minimal due to the pandemic and university restrictions. It was a good firing, we fed off of each- others’ enthusiasm and gratitude to be doing what we love despite the challenges. We took care of each-other; making sure we stayed hydrated, caffeinated, and fed. Despite being such a small crew, we pulled off a great firing; definitely one to remember.”

B-mix clay, underglaze, porcelain slip, rattan
8” x 5”
Fired in an anagama kiln in Missoula, MT.

Stoneware
26” x 16” x 3” (base 9” x 18”)
Fired in a train kiln in Missoula, MT
Kiln was built in 2005 by the artist and Ryan Mitchell.

Porcelaneous stoneware
6” x 6” x 9”
Fired in an anagama kiln in Missoula, MT
Statement from the artist:
“This piece spent 7 days 24/7 in a wood kiln. Much like in a home chimney ash, smoke and soot travel through the kiln from the fire box, covering the ceramic ware and all surfaces with ash glaze and then travel through to the end of the chimney. The kiln and work inside get to temperatures of 2300 degrees. We then suffocate the kiln, close all air ducts and reduction cool which forces a very carbon-filled space that rolls the flame in a million directions, searching for a breath of air. A controlled cooling where we stoke wood periodically so that temperature lowers at a slower rate. This extreme environment becomes celebrated on the surface of my pots through texture and color. Thank you and enjoy!”

Stoneware
Juror’s Statement
BRICKHOUSE is an appreciation of our wood kilns, the time we spend stoking them, and how that time spent impacts the work we make. Strong forms that were clearly informed by and made for the wood firing process were chosen over pieces that were “lucky” enough to catch good flashing or a nice drip. Intelligent use of clay bodies, slips, and glazes that reflected knowledge of and experience with wood kilns were favored over surfaces that could have been created using other, less intensive processes. My favorite works were from those who boldly stepped forward with the crunch and the grit, who exposed the interiors of clay bodies and embraced the wood kiln's ability to erode our clays and deteriorate our glaze. Compelling forms and mature surfaces come together as we pay homage to the structures we use to bring our work to fruition, extensions of our studios, each and everyone’s own BRICKHOUSE.
Ben Blackwood