WOOD-FIRE WORKSHOP WITH SCOTT PARADY FROM COBB MOUNTAIN ART AND ECOLOGY PROJECT (CMAEP) & FORREST MIDDELTON (FLM CERAMICS / PETALUMA POTTERY)
Ages: 18+up | Level 2: Workshop participants will need to have access to a studio to create work for loading into the wood kiln at CMAEP on July 3rd

Instructors: Scott Parady & Forrest Middelton

$500 (+ $30 Materials and firing fee)

Have you ever been curious about woodfiring? When you look at rich atmospheric surfaces on certain pots have you wondered how some pieces seem to capture and map the movement of the flame in the kiln? Atmospheric firing refers to a specific process that embraces the available vapors and materials in the final firing of the wares; and of the atmospheric firing techniques, wood-firing requires the most involvement and has the greatest potential for discovery! This detailed and involved workshop is designed to take you from learning and making (at Petaluma Pottery), to cutting and prepping wood (fuel), loading, and finally finishing your work in a community-fired wood kiln at the Cobb Mountain Art and Ecology Project in Cobb California (about 90 mins from Petaluma)!

PART ONE | AT PETALUMA POTTERY
Date: June 8th | 10:00am-5:00pm (with a one hour lunch break)
One day workshop at Petaluma Pottery with Scott Parady and Forrest Middelton.
DESCRIPTION: During this one day primer Scott will teach about the ins-and-outs of the wood-firing process, including: considerations in making work conducive for atmospheric firings, kiln designs and history, stacking, wadding, clay bodies, shift scheduling, etc. Following this day of instruction, you will have 3 weeks to make work to be fired in the CMAEP train hybrid wood fired kiln. In this 3 week period you will be able to ask questions of, and get relevant technical feedback from Forrest about your work and it’s conduciveness for the wood fired process.

All work must arrive at the wood kiln at CMAEP bisque fired. If you are interested in having work bisque fired at Petaluma Pottery it must be received bone dry at Petaluma Pottery no later than 5:00pm on JUNE 27th (glazing will happen at CMAEP)

PART TWO | AT COBB MOUNTAIN ART AND ECOLOGY PROJECT
SCHEDULE
July 2: PREP DAY (OPTIONAL for workshop participants, mandatory for Cobb Mountain Members + Residents)

July 3: LOADING and LOGISTICS: Arrive by 9am and work until loading is complete (MANDATORY for everyone). This day begins with instruction and conversation about technical aspects about glazing, loading, wadding, and assigning and talking about firing and wood prep shifts for the duration of the firing schedule.
Each participant will be be allowed to load 2 cubic feet of their own work into the kiln, with the option to pay $65 per cubic foot of overage as space is available.

July 4-7: FIRING This is the good part! Learning to fire the kiln is an event in itself; you’ll work beside a seasoned veteran of wood-firing and be an integral part of the process. During each of your shifts, you can expect to help with prepping and gathering wood near the kiln, stoking the fire box, raking the coal bed, and reading and logging the ups and downs of the very hands on firing! (Must be present to work during your assigned shifts).

July 10: UNLOAD AND CLEANUP Arrive by 10:00am ready to unload. Unloading and cleanup are mandatory, also during this day you will reveal and assess the results of the firing, and take part in the final aspects of the process.

MATERIALS AND FIRING
Your $30 materials fee includes 25lbs of high fire white clay for the wood kiln + bisque firing at Petaluma Pottery. Bone dry work for the bisque fire kiln must be dropped off at Petaluma Pottery by June 27. If you choose to bisque fire at home that is fine, but no outside clays are welcome in the firing as the wrong clay body can be quite problematic.

COBB
If you aren’t familiar with Cobb Mountain it is an amazing place. Check out their website to see what they offer in terms of camping, cabins, airbnb, and more. While you only need to be present on the 4th-7th for your assigned shifts you are welcome to stay at Cobb for the entirety if you schedule it ahead of time.

CANCELLATION POLICY
If you sign up and then are unable to attend for any reason there are no available refunds OR credits unless we can fill your spot with someone on the waitlist, so the sooner you can let us know the better. If we have to fill your spot with someone from the waitlist there is a $40 processing fee to account for our time as well as web fees we can’t recoup. Please note a minimum of 5 people is required for this class to run. If you’ve enrolled and we don’t reach the minimum you will be issued a full refund.
If you have questions about our cancellation policy please email us before signing up.

Once signed up you will receive more information and logistics relative to the workshop