I started building this two chambered wood kiln in the summer of 2013. Thanks to Gary Moore I found a source of bricks from the old Camark pottery in Camden, Arkansas. The pottery closed down in the 1970’s and had been dormant. During the 2014 I acquired and hauled thousand used bricks and steel I-beams to studio up from Camden,bought some cedar logs for the kiln shed from my neighbor Susan Gateley. Over the year I cleaned the bricks, poured a slab for the stack and built the kiln shed.
Old Camark Kiln before tear down. It was circular kiln with the kiln firing continuously and the pots moved through the kiln, gear driven. It was top of the line when it was built in the 1930’s
Camark kiln brick mining 2014
Although I did most of the work myself, I did get some excellent help from former students Logan Hunter and Justin Bryant
Beginning of kiln construction – floor of soda/salt chamber 2015
Floor finished, starting the walls 2015
On going construction summer -2015
Arch finished 2015
Finishing noborigama salt/soda chamber 2016
Almost Finished – 2017
View from the front of the anagama
Loading and Firing and Unloading
Back half of the anagama being loaded
Loaded and ready to fire second chamber
Clamming up the door of the anagama
Fire box door open for stoking
Kiln unloading day – 800-1000 pieces in a firing
The firing crew – well most of them
Josh Copus gave me this brick from his BFA exhibition at UNC Ashville and I placed on the stack for the kiln.
