photos by Stephen Eginoire

Area potters came together last weekend near Cedar Hill to share in the ancient tradition of Anagama style kiln, which is fired by wood. After months in the clay studio, days of wood cutting and hours of thoughtfully loading the kiln, the stage was set for an odyssey of fire and clay.

The graveyard shift: The fire must be closely monitored and stoked every few minutes ... all day, all night. Each pot is strategically placed in order to facilitate the proper distribution of flames and heat within the kiln. Bisqued, or raw glazed, earthenware await the kiln. The painstaking process of loading the kiln Melted ash and flash: Part of the woodfire potters palette. A finished piece by local potter Cole Taylor. Stoking the main firebox. Ceramicist Patrick Wright works on his cataracts.