Gayagama firing - workshop - Ceremony of Fire

Hi! If you visit, previous posts on my blog, you will see the work that I have made at the studio of Gaya CAC at Ubud, Bali.
 I used the clay that was prepared at Gaya C&D,  my inspirations through that time of creation were - my co-studio mates, my interactions with them, the beautiful surrounding around studio, home and vicinity, & the books that I read through this time.
The exhibition(previous post on my blog) and installation(second post which will follow) that I did there, could not have been possibly done, only by me. One important factor that made it possible was that -
The Director of Gaya CAC and wood firer, Hillary Kane & master-of-fire and kiln builder, Gyan Wall lead a workshop Ceremony of Fire.
Quite some of my works were fired in Gayagama, through the workshop.
Thanks to Hillary, Gyan, Bruce, Grace, Anamica, Julie, Prachuk and Swena, who were active part of the workshop. My gratitude also to the people, who are behind the scenes, who make this event possible.
Following post, on my blog, will be about firing the bottle kiln, which made the work, done by me at this residency, reach completion.
Pictures of this collaborative process - loading, firing, unloading of Gayagama are as follows.


                                     
Gayagama before starting loading.
This kiln was build by Gyan Wall as a workshop, in year 2012. He was interim director of Gaya CAC at the time. Firing through this workshop was its second firing.
At the back to the right is the temple, for the land where the studio is.
Wood stacks on the sides are coffee wood and mixed wood which are some palm, tamarind, mango etc.

Back stack

Anamica and Grace, helping in loading.

Side stoke holes, loading the firbox.

Gyan loading, Hillary passing the pots and wads.

Middle stack

Front stack

Bricking up the door.

Ready to start the fire.

Lit a small fire on 29th June around 10pm.

Bruce, Gyan and Prachuk.

On 30th June at 11pm, when I came for my shift.

Gyan Wall.

On 1st July morning nearly bisque in the front.

Grace Nijo.

Julie and Hillary.

Anamica.

Jim, Julie, Hillary and Gyan.

On 1st July around 11pm, cone 7 moving at the front.

On 2nd July around 6pm, cone 11 moving in the front, cone 8 soft at the back.

Last peek inside the kiln before closing the front fire mouth.

Pizza oven, part of the kiln.

Grace and Anamica preparing the pizza for baking. Ingredients all prepared in advance by Hillary. The kiln was hot and so was the pizza oven. : )

  

Gyan and Hillary's friends enjoying the wood fired pizzas!!!

Anamica at the pizza oven, Kiln is being reduction cooled.

Back pressure after the chimney was shut completely.

Lazy flame at the spine blow holes.

After a (last) small stoke at the front mouse hole, fierce flame at the spine blow hole.

We all slept out the tiredness of firing the kiln. Made an excursion day, and then returned to a cool kiln for unloading. 

Through the side stoke hole.

Through the front fire mouth.

After taking down the door bricks.

Pots partly covered with ash from the wood burning at the firebox.

Front left stack.

Front right stack.

Hillary

Hillary, Julie, Gyan and Grace.

Hillary with one of her best pots from this kiln.

Gyan appreciating the effect on his pot.

pc-Anamica

Hillary helping me take out my sculpture.

pc-Anamica

I am thinking - I didnt expect this, but it looks nice. : ))

Jim, Julie, Grace, Anamica and Hillary.

Hillary and Gyan.

Middle left stack.

Middle centre stack.

Gyan unloading.

Unloaded stack of plates, and a cup.

Julie appreciating a pot while she unloads.

Middle stack.

Back stack, stubborn cone 7, cone 8 was just about to go down.

Works spread outside for cleaning.

Hillary's plate.

It was a wonderful experience firing this kiln with the team. It was fired for 68 hours including the overnight preheat, and then 4 hours of reduction cool.  In this process I learnt about reduction cooling. Realized the wood available in Ubud fires very differently than what I have experienced before. Use of salt to get some melted faces on the pots is much appreciated, in such situations. The halo around the wads and the straw marks(bizen style), were the special gifts of this kiln firing.

Thanks for reading. : )