This kiln is where the magic happens.

I load every pot into it at least twice. The first time, or bisque firing, is after I have thrown, trimmed, and dried the piece. During this firing, water molecules are driven out of the clay, making it completely dehydrated and transforming it into ceramic. Individual clay molecules begin to fuse together, making the piece much stronger, yet still porous enough to absorb glazes. This transformation to "Bisqueware" happens at around °1800.

After unloading and glazing the bisqueware, I load it back into the kiln for its second firing, the glaze firing. I gradually increase the kiln temperature every hour. When it gets to about °2200, I start the process of reduction. I restrict the oxygen supply to the kiln to starve the fire and force the atmosphere to pull oxygen from the metal oxides in the glazes and clay body. Reduction alters the glaze's molecular structure, producing dramatic color transformations. The intense heat also causes the clay to mature and the raw glaze materials to melt together. The glaze transforms into a hard surface, binding permanently to the clay and making the piece waterproof and functional. This process takes about 6 hours and reaches an ultimate temperature of about °2300.

I have general ideas of what glazes will look like when this process is complete, but I never know for sure. I can't open the kiln for at least 24 hours after firing as it needs to cool slowly. I have fired this kiln hundreds of time, and still wait in anxious anticipation to see what the pots look like. There may be some disasters, or pieces that I consider mediocre. If I'm lucky, I'll pull out something magical.