How time flies—we are already past the middle of December, and there is so little of the year left. Today, a regular customer came to visit, bringing pieces he had fired in his own kiln. He built an anagama kiln he designed himself on his property, and he fires it twice a year. Although it’s a small kiln that holds about 100 pieces, because of its size, the ash settles firmly on every single piece, sometimes resulting in unique surfaces I have never seen before. I always look forward to seeing the pieces he unloads from the kiln. He has already fired the kiln about eight times since the first firing; while he struggled with the process at first, his temperature control has become superb lately, and he can reach temperatures of up to 1170 degrees Celsius.
What impressed me most about this firing was the naturally occurring black color, which shimmered with a subtle blue, showing a truly interesting transformation.
It seems this was caused by humidity, resulting in a black, glossy clay surface in some areas. I was amazed that such a black finish could be achieved without the use of any slip. Other pieces were also covered in a generous, well-melted layer of "sesame" ash glaze, resulting in some fascinating work.
Since every unloading brings different results, I am always reminded of the depth of Bizen kiln firing. The customer collects many Bizen pieces by contemporary and deceased artists, but he mentioned that his perspective on the works has changed significantly since he began creating his own. I find it enviable to be able to view art from such a new perspective. Today was another good day where I learned so much from a customer.