Wood firing is a slow, hands-on process that connects the potter directly with fire, flame, and time. I fire in the large anagama kiln at Kigbeare Studios, which holds around 1,200 pots and takes about five days of continuous stoking to reach 1300°C in reduction.

As the kiln burns, wood ash settles on the pots and melts into a natural glaze, creating warm, earthy tones and subtle surface variations that can’t be repeated. Each piece carries the mark of its position in the kiln — shaped by flame and atmosphere. I also fire porcelain pieces in the anagama; they come out with a delicate, almost translucent quality that feels quietly refined.