Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Anagama.
This is the largest anagama I have built, 23 feet long, 6'2"
at the entrance it rises and swells holding an impressive amount
of work. In an effort to offer a stellar graduate program professors
Matt Wilt and Paul Dressang commissioned me to come teach and built
their programs center piece kiln.
Over two mostly frozen weeks in November of 2003, Me and a host
of graduate students and undergrad, including Brock Rumohr, Jen
Holt, Brendan Tang, Max Thomas, and Eric Nichols spent 10 to 12
hour days building this monster. Using large pipes and some clever
welding by Max we added a grate system with air access in the middle
of the kiln.
This kiln was lovingly built with great attention to detail. Its
arch curves in all three dimensions making a deeply sensuous and
flame friendly shape.
This kiln was built into the hill directly across from the ceramics
dept and then half buried, making a permanent part of their landscape.
It was a thrill to build this kiln for such a prestigious program,
one that will affect years of graduate students. I must say I was
also tickled to have T-shirts made promoting me and the kiln (available
for purchase from the Wagner pottery association at SIUE).
Mill Creek
Pottery
W11561 Mill Creek Rd. - Gresham, WI 54128
Phone: 715.787.4831
Email: simon@woodfire.com
