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 will be fired several times each year as part of Professor Kelly Connole’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. Over the course of 18-24 hours, the kiln gently heats up to temperatures exceeding 2300 degrees F. 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.
This small collection of images shows the variety of surfaces and textures achieved through this type of firing. Factors such as choice of clay body and placement in the kiln have dramatic effects on the work—as does luck!
