Firing Bottle kiln at Gaya CAC

I feel blessed, because the way things fell into place for completing my work at residency at Gaya CAC.
Gyan Wall was in Bali, with Hillary had lead the workshop - Ceremony of Fire. And he agreed to fire the bottle kiln soon after the workshop. It was a challange for the firings were almost back to back! but it couldnt have been later as a show of my works was planned and there wasnt much time before I had to leave. We had unloaded Gayagama on the 5th July and we were loading bottle kiln on 10th July, already.

It all happened and here are the images of the process with bottle kiln firing.

pc-Heidi McKenzie

Feeling at home by cleaning the kiln before starting to load.

Gyan setting up the posts for starting to load.

He has designed and built this kiln, which he says, 'is almost a smokeless kiln'. The wood burns across the spine of the kiln. The wood is stoked from the front and the back. The fire rises and then is pulled down to the flue holes at the floor level, of the walls all around. These flue holes connect to channels which form an outer shell to the chamber. All these channels connect at the top, above the chamber, forming a secondary chamber where earthenware temperatures can be reached. Further to this is the exit, into the chimney.

The kiln is 90cms in diameter. The floor gives firebox results, the pots of the first shelf can have nice glazed work, and the top portion gets subtle flame marks. So much variation and an easy kiln to load and fire!!

Gyan planing the next step after the back portion of the floor is loaded.

Back stoke hole seen above the pots at the centre.

Gyan loading.

Front portion floor is loaded.

pc-Ali Kazimi

Gyan and me loading.

pc-Ali Kazimi

pc-Ali Kazimi

pc-Ali Kazimi

 p-Ali Kazimi

 pc-Ali Kazimi

Successfully loaded!! it was like a dream.

This work sitting across the shelf is the second part of the installation - Companion. 

First part was fired in the Gayagama. (following post, on my blog, will have the installation images)

pc-Ali Kazimi

pc-Ali Kazimi

pc-Ali Kazimi

Gyan and Heidi.

Gyan bricking up the door. Bapak setting up the fire mouth door.

Lit the fire on 11th July 8pm.

Some of the works that could not make into the kiln. Hush! we had enough. : )

Ibu (wife of the owner of this land) making an offering for the kiln.

Offering.

Gyan and Dianne.

p-Heidi M.

Throwing in salt.

Gyan checking the heat flow in the flue channels from the shoulder passives.

Glowing chimney passives.

Preparing for throwing in salt.

Anamica, stoking the back.

Chimney before a big stoke.

Chimney after a big stoke.

Light through the gaps of the tiles of the roof.

Checking the second/upper chamber.

Much hotter than expected. 

Shoulder passives all open.

Last stoke.

Half closed the chimney, Anamica plugging the passive dampers.

Chimney shut completely, pushing the flames out of all the passives.

Intensity of the flame reducing.

Anamica, bright with the light from the kiln.

Gyan preparing his contemplative smoke. After the last stoke at the front fire mouth, around 6pm on 12th July. Still to do small stokes to reduce cool the kiln. 

Small stoke for reduction cooling.

Watching the shoulder blow hole for queue for stoking while cooling down.

After two days of rest, we unloaded the kiln on 16th July.

Gyan and Hillary taking down the door.

Gyan taking out the last few bricks of the door.

Hillary.

Crusty firebox effect on the ware at the floor.

Nice heat treatment on the pots on the shelf.

Ware on top got subtle flame marks.

pc-Heidi M.

This was a 46hrs firing with preheat, and 3hrs of reduction cooling.

Beautiful kiln, Thanks to Gyan, Hillary, Heidi, Grace, Anamica, Prachuk, Swena and Bapak. Again there are many more hands that helped in the whole process. I am grateful.

I could make my show - Objects of Contemplation.

Thank you for visiting my blog. : ))