Firing Process:

                    The kiln is fired four to six times per year, a schedule roughly adhered
         to since 1976. The firing process requires 3-7 days for stacking,
         (primarily greenware work), with some pieces weighing up to 300 pounds
         and having a thickness of 4"-6". Large scale work demands at least a
         seven day firing. My kiln uses a combination of hard and soft wood, split,
         stacked, and aged. The total mass for one firing equals seven cords,
         with a cord of wood being consumed every 12 hours in the final days.
         The preparation, and selection of wood is extremely important for
         temperatures exceeding 2300 degrees and for good color. The crew
         consists of 3-5 people taking daily shifts with a temperature rise of
         30-50 degrees an hour per shift. Additional stoking is done in three side
         ports with kindling style wood towards the end of the firing, boosting the
         back of the kiln to the desired temperatures. The 18' x 5' x 5' kiln is
         sometimes utilized for glazeware, hence, temperatures will vary
         from D13 to D6, front to back. Its primary function however is for natural
        ash firing D13 to D11, respectively. At high heat constant monitoring is
        necessary until the end of the firing to ensure the desired results, as ash
        can denaturize when overcooked. The most important part of the firing
        process is the cooling cycle: fast cooling for glass; slow cooling for
        rustic tones. My anagama kiln cools completely in seven days.

                             Peter Callas firing the work of Peter Voulkos
                       at the Shigaraki Ceramic Cultural Park, Japan