Steven Smith Ceramics

Published in the UK

Admin — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 02:25:09 +0000

My bowl with fish motif published in Susan Hibberd’s new book (Kent, UK).

My anagama work in the Ridou Ridou Collection

Admin — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 00:02:35 +0000

From the Ridou Ridou Collection (Click the image to visit the Ridou Report website)

Ceramicus Pottery Exhibition 2010

Admin — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 02:33:53 +0000

This was the 52nd Annual Exhibition of Wellington Potters Association. Been going since 1958!!! Amazing. Over 100 people attended the opening. I gave a speech and open it.

Over 100 people attended the opening.

Guest selector's work - Sue Newitt

My horribly overpriced tea bowls.

Another one of my pieces selected.

Andrew Walford book launched

Admin — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 09:14:05 +0000

This book is a must have!

A Potter’s Tale in Africa follows Andrew Walford’s life. An insightful account of one of South Africa’s most well known potters.

Available from Wright Publishers bonisa47@mweb.co.za

New Book on Potters’ Marks

Admin — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 09:00:57 +0000

It’s Finally available, the first Guide to Southern African Potters marks &
monograms!

Over 500 potters, their marks, monograms & signatures represented, including individual Studio potters, Art Potters, ceramic sculptors & ceramic factories. There will be only 1000 numbered copies available, copies will be sold on a first come first served basis, so get your order in early!

Copies are ZAR 300 each + shipping (+/- R 20 within RSA).

Orders to kerrod@iafrica.com

My Anagama results

Admin — Sun, 28 Mar 2010 08:07:08 +0000

Molten wood ash onto a Shino glaze.

Marks left from balls of wadding (clay/flour).

The side where the flame hit. Fabulous!

A Japanese tea cup (Yumoni) with delicious wood ash effects on Shino glaze.

Different from every angle.

A Yunomi with Tenmoko glaze.

Tenmoko glaze.

Shino glaze.

Tenmoko glaze.

Unloading the Anagama kiln (Te Hanui, Horokiwi, Wellington)

Admin — Sun, 28 Mar 2010 07:44:05 +0000

Around 400 pots came out. Took a few hours and it was fantastic! You could feel the excitement and anticipation in the air as vessels emerged from the kiln. Inside was still warm, one week later!

Firing the Anagama Kiln (Te Hanui, Horokiwi, Wellington)

Admin — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 07:24:56 +0000

I’ve just come off of a 6-hour shift with a team of fellow potters firing a wood-fired Japanese Anagama cave kiln. I have 13 pieces in the kiln so really looking forward to the kiln opening in a week’s time for see results.

The chimney flame from outside, 6am

Fire Master Shige Ohashi in the firing pit

This is the 6th firing of the Anagama which is located on a farm outside Wellington in the Horokiwi area. Big and hungry for fuel it produced a deep growling noise as it consumes wood. The ash from the wood swirls around the kiln and deposits on pots to melt and form glaze. “The great appeal of Anagama firing is its total unpredictability so that each piece is unique in its character and can never be repeated. Deliberately inefficient and taking considerable amounts of wood, an Anagama kiln will reveal the effects of flame, ash and vitrification that make the wares unique” (Chester Nealie).

Shige stoking the main chamber

Side stoking port

The wood took several months to gather, cut and split. So far the kiln’s devoured 6 pallets of split wood. Amazing! We fed around 8 logs in each front and side stoking chambers every three minutes.

Shige taking some time to hear the Anagama

Firing the Anagama is a remarkable collaborative effort. It only gets fired once a year. Shige the Fire Master took 13 hours a day for one entire week to carefully pack the kiln. There’s probably over 400 pieces inside.

My first crack at stoking

Flames blowing out the side stoking port

Extremely hot work

It reaches a temperature of around 1250 Deg C and it’s fed wood and kept firing for 100 hours in total. Takes 22 potters to fire it working 6 – 8hr shifts that run 24hrs a day for around 5 days.

Once Shige is happy that the firing is complete he’ll stop the stoking and it will take a week to cool down. We’re scheduled to open the kiln a week on Sunday. Can’t wait.

Top port hole with guide flame

Pots ready for the Anagama kiln

Admin — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 06:31:12 +0000

Finally bisque fired my latest experiments. And now applied two glazes, a Shino and a Tenmoko. They’ll go in the Anagama next week – a couple of weeks from now will feel like Christmas day!! I am also throwing in a couple of old pieces, already glaze fired, just to see what the Anagama’s wood firing atmosphere does with the glaze.

Hard core throwing

Admin — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 10:16:25 +0000

I’m in pain. Never threw such heavily grogged stoneware in my life. Feel like I just joined a gym and Jet Li’s the instructor! Had huge fun though. Took me till mid night to turn the bases on this session. I also tried faceting a vase – successfully I thought.