Anagama

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Tea & Sake
by Clayton Amemiya

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by Gary Steinborn

Miniatures by Jamie Stokes

Guardians by Randy Takaki

About
Anagama

Tea & Sake
About the Artist

The Anagama kiln is an ancient type of pottery kiln brought to Japan from China via Korea in the 5th century.

The term Anagama
(a Japanese term meaning "cave kiln") describes single-chamber wood-fired kilns built in a sloping tunnel shape with a firebox at one end and a flue at the other.

Anagama fired pottery depends on chance kiln events -– in particular, the behavior of wood ash circulating at high temperatures causing glaze to form on the clay surfaces in irregular patterns. Although seemingly random, the surface graduations of color are achieved only through delicate planning and some years of experience. I use Ohia (Metrosideros Polymoropha) as fuel. Salt is introduced to the kiln through clay-filled Opihi (limpet) clam and abalone shells used as stilts and spacers to prevent the pots from fusing to the shelves and each other.

Each firing takes between 96 and 110 hours to complete, using over 3 ½ cords of wood. The finished pot displays the interaction between earth (clay), fire and wind (flying wood ash), and the results are truly a collaboration between the potter and nature.

- Clayton Amemiya

before firing after firing

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