About the Miniature Kilns

Part of the reason I was initially drawn to the medium of ceramics was the processes involved in the making and completion of a piece.  Clay does not become ceramics until it has been fired.  The firing of clay wares is one of the most exciting parts of the process. Clay physically transforms when introduced to extreme heat.  Besides that, I’ve always loved to play with fire.   In ceramics the ultimate functional objects are the kilns from which one fires the clay in.       
     I have spent some time researching materials and design to construct my own kilns.   Made as small sculptural objects, they can also participate in the world of art.  Creating kilns as objects in and of themselves begs to question the general notion of functional ceramics and, for that matter, what the important qualities of ceramics can be.  Other than what one normally considers like glazes, color, use for dishes, decoration, or sculpture, another very important quality of ceramics is that it's strong, it's refractory, (handles heat) and it has the ability to insulate in extreme temperatures, and that is what these kilns are about for me.
      In art, it is the finished piece that gets all the attention.  The process by which it is achieved is often ignored.  These pieces attempt to subvert this by emphasizing the process and the tool itself as the finished work.