Dates: Monday 22 – Friday 26 September
Time: Teaching starts at 10am and finishes around 4pm. Dinner is served at 7pm
Cost: £800 including VAT (includes tuition, materials, consumables, firings, PPE, accommodation and an evening meal).
Catering: An evening meal is provided as part of the course Monday – Thursday.
Places: 8 (Beginner+)
Information on access is at the bottom of this page.
*We can offer accommodation on the Sunday evening for people travelling from further afield for an additional £36. Please email accounts@ssw.org.uk if this is required, following booking online.
We are excited to offer this new 5 day Woodfiring Intensive Course providing the opportunity for participants to engage in the woodfiring experience as well as learn vital aspects of packing, firing and cooling the kiln.
Through this residential course you will work with our ceramics technician and other course participants to fill and fire (with wood) to a temperature of 1300 degrees. This kiln design at SSW is based on a ‘bourry’ box firebox which is engineered to be higher than waist height and so easier to stoke wood into, and achieve good ash effects on the ceramic pieces inside in a relatively shorter firing time.
Through the course you will be introduced to:
– The principles of kiln design, firing and health and safety
– How to wad and pack work specifically for interacting with flames
– Firing in a reduction atmosphere
– Measuring and recording the firing through a kiln log
– Ways of listening, connecting and responding to the kiln
Firing the kiln will be a shared, hands-on experience with plenty of opportunity for peer learning and exchange. On the first day we will arrange shifts to allow all participants a chance to experience stoking – guided by technical staff – aiming for an 18 hour firing in total. The kiln will have a good capacity for bisque fired ware, so participants can bring up to 15 bisque fired objects* that can be placed in different parts of the kiln, so that the results can be compared once the kiln is opened. There will also be an opportunity to glaze work with studio glazes ahead of packing. Please be aware that the kiln will be high fired, aiming for Cone 10 so clays and glazes should be suitable for these temperatures. If you have any questions you can contact our ceramics technician, and clay is available to buy (collection only) from our Clay Shop.
*We can not guarantee everything will fit in the kiln but everyone will be able to fire multiple pieces.
A full induction to the workshop will be provided so no previous experience is necessary.
Booking
Book your place on the Woodfiring Intensive Course below. You will receive a booking confirmation email to the provided address once your booking is complete. Please read our Courses terms and conditions before making your booking. You can also book by phone by calling 01464 861372.
Accommodation
At SSW we have simple shared accommodation alongside an on-site bothy that provides collective space for cooking, meeting and socialising. All courses are residential and we can not offer non residential offer this year.
Accessibility
We understand that you may need additional support in place to participate in one of our courses, from bringing a support worker, to communication or accommodation needs, among many other possibilities. If you would like to discuss this informally please get in touch with our Programme and Partnerships Director by emailing sam@ssw.org.uk or phoning 01464 861372.
There is information on accessibility at SSW here, but if you have any questions we are happy to help.
