Ceramic Studio Equipment

Two studios
8 Electric wheels
1 Kick wheel
Plaster wedging table
Large canvas tables
Extruder, Basic clay tools, Bats
Shelves

About

At the core of SAW’s ceramics program is the communal exploration of the wood-fired surface. The wood-fired surface requires a crew of artists to labor with a kiln and to explore as a team. It is as much about the experience, as the ceramics that are being fired. Knowledge and experience is shared by each firer, adding to the collective energy and inspiration that each individual artist draws from. Our program inspires clay artists to take risks, find a different voice and develop a new relationship with the material. SAW’s ceramic program offers firing residencies, studio residencies and rentable space in our wood kilns, details are below. 

Artists must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by the start of the residency.
Upon acceptance, proof of vaccination is required.

KILN OPTIONS

LARGE KILN:

90 cubic ft.
Approximately 7-10 Days (5 day firing)
Ideal for an individual to participate in a group firing, or a group to rent the entire kiln.
Cone 10

The Large Kiln's step-grate fire box and larger chimney makes for a forgiving kiln and great teaching tool. The design allows for a large or small coal bed, plenty of loading room around the firebox and space for large scale work. The kiln requires over 100 hours to fire and a minimum of 5-6 artists to share the responsibilities. Levels of participation range from dropping off a single piece, to fully experiencing the entire process. Expect three days for loading, followed by 120 hours of firing, totaling a 10-day onsite residency. The kiln typically cools for an additional week before unloading.

Groups may also rent the large kiln for a custom group workshop experience. The schedule, cost, and kiln firing schedule will vary based on the groups experience, amount of work, and needs.

When you participate in the large kiln, please let us know if you would like information about housing and meal options, or nearby places to stay. Most large kiln firings are 9-10 days.

PRICING:

Resident Kiln Firer - Artists are responsible for doing 4-6 shifts (6-8 hours depending on number of other firers). Artists have the option of 5 cubic feet for $300 or 10 cubic feet for $600. Does not include housing, and the space in the kiln is discounted 50%. Different amounts of space are sometimes available in the large kiln but must be coordinated in advance. Please contact our office to inquire.

Drop Off Work - If you are not participating in the firing shifts, the cost is $0.07 per cubic inch (about $120 per cubic foot). Clay must be cone 10 and bisqued or bone dry upon delivery to SAW. Space in the kiln will be first come, first serve basis. Work for the firing must be dropper off at SAW no later than 1 week prior to the start of loading.

Accommodations: When you participate in the large kiln, please let us know if you would like information about housing and meal options. Most large kiln firings are 9-10 days.

All kiln firing reservations require a 50% deposit upfront.

Flat top KILN:

18 cubic feet
Approximately 3-4 Days (48 hour firing)
Ideal for an individual, duo, or small group to split.
Cone 10

The Flat Top Kiln was built to help bring a clearer understanding of the principles of wood-firers, while still producing great surfaces. The scale of the kiln allows for quicker firings and a closer relationship for the firer and the kiln. Resident firers will share 18 cubic feet of space inside the kiln, they will load their work along with another selected artist participating in the firing. Resident firers will share the responsibilities of a 48 hour firing. Individual artists or groups of artists may apply to this residency and share the shifts and the kiln space.

The Flat Top Kiln firing residency has a rolling application. Please propose dates for your firing
residency. Expect one day for loading, followed by 48 hours of firing, totaling a 3-day onsite residency. The kiln typically cools for an additional 4 days before unloading.

PRICING:

Resident Kiln Firer - Artists are responsible for all 48 hours (we recommend 8 hour shifts) of firing. We encourage new participants to split our small kiln between 2-4 participants.

• $1000 whole kiln: includes 18 cubic feet of kiln space (individual)

• $500 half kiln: includes 9 cubic feet of kiln space (2 people)

• $250 quarter kiln: includes 4.5 cubic feet of kiln space (4 people)

• All kiln firing reservations require a 50% deposit upfront.

Accommodations: When you participate in the large kiln, please let us know if you would like information about housing and meal options.

All kiln firing reservations require a 50% deposit upfront.

Spitfire kiln:

3 cubic ft
Approximately 1-2 Days (12 hour firing)
Ideal for an individual or small group firing.
Cone 10

The Spitfire Kiln if stacked tightly, can hold 3 cubic feet of work and it fires best around 10 hours. Typically the Spitfire is a single day firing, where loading and firing happen on the same day. The kiln has a firebox under the main chamber, and a secondary upper firebox closer to the wares to increase the ash accumulation. This kiln is great for artists to experiment with new woodfire clays and glazes and to quickly produce a small quantity of woodfired wares. This one day kiln firing can be arranged as a workshop or residency.

Spitfire Schedule:
Arrive 8:30am
Load kiln 9am-11am
Lite and fire kiln until 9pm (10 hours)
Unloading is a minimum of 2 days later

PRICING:

The Spitfire Workshop - $450 for those with little or no wood firing experience and a professional assistant to be at the kiln for the full 12 hour day.

Resident Kiln Firer - $300 for those with intermediate to advanced experience with wood firing and requires minimal professional assistance, especially if they have used SAWs kiln previously. In this scenario, the artist would be working mostly solo.

Both options are available to an individual, duo, or small group.

All kiln firing reservations require a 50% deposit upfront.

Raku kiln:

1 cubic ft.
Ideal for an individual, duo, or small group to split.
This process is intended for decorative work and is not food safe.

Our wood-fired raku kiln holds about a cubic foot of space per load. Stoking the firebox below the ware chamber takes about 90 mins to get the firing chamber to cone 06 for the first load of wares. Each successive load after the first takes about 30 mins to reach cone 06. In a half-day artists can fire 3-4 loads of ware and 4-7 loads in a full day. This half or full-day kiln firing can be arranged as a rental or workshop. We provide basic guidance at the kiln as a rental or can offer a workshop at SAW (or offsite for an additional fee).

PRICING:

Raku Kiln Rental - Half Day - (3-4 loads) - $160.00
Full Day - (4 -7 loads) - $200.00

Raku Kiln Workshop - Full Day - (4 -7 loads) - $450.00

Both options are available to an individual, duo, or small group.

Offsite - Our Raku kiln is also mobile and can be brought to an appropriate site, and set up for a workshop. Additional fee for offsite workshops or demonstrations varies based on location.

SAW will provide fuel for the kiln, post-firing bins, tongs, gloves and sawdust for a post firing reduction (feel free to wander the grounds in search of other post-firing burnables.)
Please contact us if you are interested in this option.

Glazes - Raku glazes are available at SAW, if artists are using our glazes each individual piece is measured and SAW charges 10 cents a cubic inch as a glaze fee.

Please note that Raku pieces are not food-safe.
All kiln firing reservations require a 50% deposit upfront.

Bisque Kiln:

Electric SCUTT KM 1027 Kiln
Dimensions: 22” wide x 27” deep (6.4 Cubic feet)
Max temperature: 1945 degrees (Cone 04)

Kiln building workshop:

Space in kiln varies based on kiln design, Approximately 1-3 cubic feet
Approximately 3 Days (24 hour firing)
Ideal for educational purposes or small group to split.

The Kiln Building Workshop is an opportunity for a group, or groups, to design and build a temporary kiln that is can be fired in 24 hours. Teams must create their design in advance based on the list of materials below. SAW recommends a minimum of 2 participants per kiln. The firers will split the responsibility of designing, building, loading, firing, and unloading the kiln with guidance from the workshop instructor. The Kiln Building Workshop is offered during SAWs annual Festival of Fire in September with 5 groups. This workshop can also be scheduled other times during the year. Please contact SAW office to inquire.

Materials
Refractory and fuel available to each team 4' x 8' x 4” steel box filled with silica sand
(150) standard hard bricks 9"x4.5"x2.5"
(150) 2300 soft bricks 9"x4.5"x2.5"
(3) 12" x 24" x 3/4" silicon carbide kilns shelves
(1) five gallon bucket of fireclay/epk mix for mortar and wadding
1/4 cord of hardwood and 1/4 cord of pine both split fine and 8-12 inches long

Kiln Building Schedule:
Day 1
Check in

Day 2
9:00am–5:00pm, Kiln Building
5:30pm, Ceramic Keynote Talk (Festival of Fire)
6:00pm, Lighting of Kilns (24 hour firing)

Day 3
6:00pm, Last Stoke

Day 4
2:00pm, Kiln Unloading
Check out

All kiln firing reservations require a 50% deposit upfront.