FIRING

Since establishing Shawn Ireland Pottery in 1997, I have been a wood fire potter. The two chambered wood kiln I built and fired in Bakersville, NC was a partner in defining my pottery and process for over twenty years.

In 2021, I bought the home and pottery compound of legendary potter, Ron Meyers, in Athens, GA. I am using his natural gas down draft kiln and, after some modifications, I can now stoke wood while utilizing the gas burners, helping me reach 2300° F or cone 9-10 over 15-20 hours. Wood flame and ash also add unpredictability to the glazes. The clay and glazes I formulated over the years for a wood kiln atmosphere look surprisingly similar in the new gas/wood kiln and I’m thrilled with how much less physically demanding it is to fire. As with my old kiln, each firing continues to open new creative paths and pursuits.