Instructor: Christopher Smith
September 22 - 28
Sunday - Saturday
9am first meeting
various meeting times through the week

In this workshop students will participate in all aspects of firing a train kiln.  This workshop will encourage the development of skill-based learning, foster dialogue about surfaces of wood-fired ceramics and explore train kiln firing techniques.  All participants will be stoking the kiln, prepping wood, and helping to clean the kiln and shelves after firing. On the first day the class will meet at the ceramics studio to glaze and slip work.  We will also create a schedule together to divide up the firing into 6-hour shifts to be filled by 2-3 participants per shift.  The next day participants will meet at the kiln site, discuss loading strategies, and begin loading the kiln. 
The following day participants will start firing the kiln and continue to stoke for the next 36 - 48 hours.

Day 1 Sunday Glaze at Castle Hill (9am)

Day 2 Monday Wad Work & Begin to load kiln & prep wood (9am)

Day 3 Tuesday          Finish loading & Brick up Door & Start Firing kiln & Prep kiln

Day 4 Wednesday Fire Kiln & Prep wood

Day 5 Thursday Fire Kiln

Day 6 Friday Cooling (Class does not meet)

Day 7 Saturday Unload and Clean up (9am)

Christopher Smith completed his Master of Fine Arts degree at the University of Massachusetts in Dartmouth, Massachusetts in the spring of 2020. Prior to his graduate degree, he received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Maharishi University of Management in Fairfield, Iowa as well as a Bachelors degree in Vedic Science. Christopher’s work involves the procedures of wheel-thrown and hand-built ceramics, atmospheric-firing conditions and locally sourced materials. Christopher also worked as an assistant to ceramic artist Chris Gustin. Selected accolades include the 2018 Karon Richardson Doherty Memorial Scholarship, 2017 George and Ellen McKinnon Scholarship, and in 2016 the Outstanding Student Award in the Field of Fine Arts.