Dec 10
The Carleton Wood Kiln
In the spring of 2009, Carleton ceramics students worked with Donovan Palmquist, a master kiln builder, to construct a bourry-box style wood kiln on campus. The kiln is located near Farm House, and is fired several times each year as part of Carleton’s ceramics courses.
The kiln fits well with Carleton’s focus on sustainable practices, as it is fueled with wood harvested from the Cowling Arboretum, including invasive buckthorn, oak and ash. Over the course of 30 hours, the kiln gently heats up to temperatures exceeding 2300 degrees Farenheit. The ceramic pieces inside the kiln are dusted with ash, as flames lick across the surfaces of the work leaving evidence of their path. The results are stunning.
The pieces on view in this exhibit were created in Beginning Ceramics (ARTS130), taught by Kelly Connole and Juliane Shibata in Fall 2017. They provide a variety of examples of the surfaces and textures that can be achieved through this method of firing. Factors such as choice of clay body and placement in the kiln have dramatic effects on the work—as does luck!