High
KENDALLVILLE — Seth Green, professor of ceramics at Purdue University, usually gets his hands dirty shaping clay on a potter's wheel. But the past two weeks, Green is getting his hands dirty in the building of two new high-fire kilns for The Pottery studio at the Community Learning Center.
The kilns were expected to have their first firing today and be fully operational by July.
The steel-framed brick kilns stand on the east side of the CLC, just outside the door leading to The Pottery. "High-fire" means the kilns reach a temperature of 2,300 degrees F., fueled by natural gas.
The two kilns are different models — one kiln is the regular, high-fire reduction kiln. The other is a soda kiln.
"A solution of baking soda and water is sprayed into the kiln when it's at peak temperature," Green said. "It has special brick. The sodium spray interacts with the silica in the clay."
When an unglazed clay item is given a sodium glaze, the high-fire oxygen reduction will enhance the glaze finish, Green said. In the reduction, oxygen is mixed with the natural gas fuel, with the amount of oxygen adjusted by a damper. The reduction process changes the color of the raw glaze to the desired finished color.
Special shelving can accommodate large and small items, and allow for multiple layers for the firing.
"Raw cobalt (glaze) is purple, but it goes to blue," Green said. "Copper glaze turns red. There's chemistry happening in these kilns."
The Pottery is already served by electric kilns inside the studio. Green said the electric kilns work well, but have fewer glaze options because of temperature limits.
"These kilns will diversity and expand our options for students taking classes and for The Pottery members," Greens said. "It's Phase 2 of the studio and adds support for an artist-in-residency and small-scale pottery production.
The kilns were funded by a grant from the Olive P. Cole Foundation and the CLC's support and permission for innovation. Each kiln costs $15,000 to $18,000.
Green also worked with NIPSCO to install a restricted natural gas system for the kilns, independent of the building.
Green brought in Ted Neal, a professor of ceramics at Ball State University, to help with the specialized construction of the kilns. Neal is a nationally recognized kiln expert, traveling all over the United States to build them. Green and Neal have worked together on other kiln builds.
Green noted that Purdue Fort Wayne has the same kilns. Local students and artists can use what they learn at The Pottery in future classes at the university.
"These kilns will continue the growth of The Pottery here,’’ Green said.
Ceramic artist Gene Downer and his wife, Julia, moved to Kendallville in 1985. He said he always wanted a community of pottery artists like The Pottery has created. Members have created pottery, fired in the onsite studio, to sell at the Farmers Market on Saturday mornings at the CLC and for the Empty Bowl fundraiser for The Apple Tree Center..
"It's a dream come true," Downer said.
Volunteers who have assisted in the build are Joan Vaughan, Cooper Steward, Krista Rase, Lori Stout, Karla Alexander, Kenzie Wilson-Rhamy, Andy Tomasik, Tara Turner, Jamie Bauer, Deb Walterhouse, Ryan Johnson, Karla Alexander, Cindy Boggs, Gene and Julia Downer, Susan Mueller, Matt Schroeder, Mark Haaff, Aleah Langley, Derrek Schwartz, and Karla Yauchler.
The Pottery is easily accessed at Door 16 of the Sheridan Street side of the CLC. Go to the CLC's website, www.thecommunitylearningcenter.org/thepottery/, to see The Pottery's schedule of classes and projects; or call 544-3455.
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