Firing Log

Download the podcast directly or through iTunes (mp3, 59:39, 41 mb).

Fred Herbst is a ceramics professor at Corning Community College in upstate New York. Interestingly, google satellite data for Corning is quite good although the kiln had not yet been built in this shot: aerial view of Fred’s anagama site. Check out Fred’s online gallery for a closer view.

Fred Herbst and daughter Emma.

During our discussion, we spoke about Fred’s anagama and one of the more unusual ways in which an anagama may be used: as a furnace for glass blowing. We then move into his experiences with reduction cooling experiments and how this technique benefits iron rich stonewares, but how a more oxidizing atmosphere tends to favor porcelain and white stoneware.

In the photo gallery accompanying this podcast, you will find pictures of Fred’s kiln, its construction, firing, and examples of the finished work. Fred has also graciously provided a set of clay and glaze recipes. Pay particular note to Fred’s Porcelaineous which fires beautifully — much like a Shigaraki clay.

If you wish to fire with Fred, you’re in luck. He is hosting a summer workshop, July 10-16, 2007, with Jody Johnstone. The cost is $200 and if you are interested, contact Fred (email below). If you can’t make the firing but find you are interested in having a piece fired in Fred’s anagama, contact him directly: herbstNO@JUNKcorning-cc.edu (remove “NO” and “JUNK” for correct email).

Last, some links related to topics brought up in our discussion:

• Dick Lehman’s article: A New Approach to Long-fire Results.
• Fred’s kiln was designed by Simon Levin.
• Some history about Roman Glass, the type of glass that was recreated in the anagama glass blowing experiment.