Build and Burn Kiln

Build and Burn, Paper Kiln Building participatory workshop for Ceramics Ireland Festival. Thomastown, Kilkenny, Ireland. July 2018.

This workshop involved the collaborative building of paper kiln inspired by the traditional bottle kilns of Stoke on Trent. Participants were attendees of the festival and could drop in and out of the workshop throughout the day, staying for as long as they like.

Construction of the kiln included willow structure covered in slip covered magazine pages. The

kiln was embellished further using found objects. The kiln was filed with sawdust, paper, kindling, oxides, salt and other combustibles. Participants were invited to bring a small bisque fired piece to be included in the firing. The purpose of the workshop was to create a space for hands on making at an event that is predominantly about attending talks, an ice breaker activity for meeting other attendees and a route into alternative firing technique for participants who are unfamiliar with smoke firing and backyard kiln building.

The Kiln was lit on the second day and allowed to burn through the day creating a space for gathering and conversations about clay, ceramic process and getting information sharing.