Alternative Firing Pottery Workshop with Janet McLeod
Pit Fire & Raku
Experience the elemental magic of alternative firing techniques in this immersive, hands-on pottery workshop. Over three days, you will create and fire your own ceramic pieces using pit firing and raku saggar, embracing fire and smoke to produce beautifully unpredictable results.
This workshop is suitable for beginners and experienced makers alike.
Workshop Structure
This workshop runs over three days:
- One making day
- A firing weekend three weeks later
Day One – Making Day
Sunday, March 1 | 10:00 am – 4:00 pm at The Art Centre Helensville . There will be limited times during the following week at the Art Centre to complete your pieces.
Together, we will hand-build ceramic pieces specifically designed for alternative firing.
You will create:
- 1–3 small to medium pots for pit firing
- One small heart for raku saggar firing
All work will be left to dry at the centre. Once dry, pieces will be bisque-fired for you in preparation for the firing weekend.
Day Two – Pit Fire Preparation & Firing
Saturday 21 March | 10:00 am – 4:00 pm \ (Contingency weekend March 28-29) Location: 10 Higham Road, South Head. We begin by preparing our bisque-fired pots for the pit fire.
You will explore:
- Firing pots directly in the pit with no covering
- Using saggars filled with organic materials
- Optional use of selected chemicals to enhance surface effects
A range of organic materials will be supplied, and you are encouraged to bring your own collected materials, such as:
- Seaweed – dry
- Various dry organic material – banana skins, corn husks, lichen
- Feathers
Lunch will be provided.
Once prepared, we will build and light the pit fire together. While the fire burns, you are invited to relax, enjoy the shared experience, and create small clay creatures or objects to add to the fire.
After a couple of hours, the fire will be allowed to burn down, then covered and left to cool overnight.
Day Three – Raku & Pit Opening
Sunday 22 March | 10:00 am – 3:00 pm (Contingency weekend March 28-29) Location: 10 Higham Road, South Head
On the final day, the small hearts made on Day One will be placed into saggars and fired in the raku kiln.
You will have the opportunity to:
- Prepare a saggar for your heart
- Experience raku firing
- Remove your red-hot raku saggar from the kiln
- Place it into a reduction chamber
Once the raku firing is complete, we will open the pit.
Pit-fired pots and raku hearts will be:
- Carefully removed
- Cleaned
- Polished (optional)
You will leave with finished pieces that reflect fire, smoke, and your own creative decisions.
Cost $250
What’s Included
- All material, including clay and all tools for making
- Bisque firing
- Use of pit firing materials and selected chemicals
- Raku firing experience
- Lunch on Days Two and Three
- Experienced guidance throughout the process
- Safety equipment when needed
Full payment is required a week before the event. Numbers will be limited, and the workshop is unlikely to be repeated at this price.
What to Bring
- Old clothes and covered footwear
- Apron if you have one
- Organic materials for saggars (optional)
- An open mind and joyful spirit – We will have fun!
An Experience Rooted in Fire & Community
Alternative firing is as much about process and connection as it is about finished work. Expect smoke, fire, experimentation, shared meals, and the excitement of opening the pit and reduction chamber to reveal one-of-a-kind ceramic surfaces.
Pottery is unpredictable, and alternative firing even more so. Although all care will be taken to help you achieve the results you desire, pieces may crack or break. We will do our best to avoid this, but we cannot guarantee results.
We can not pit fire in a cyclone! If the weather is against us, we will revert to our contingency days. If these dates don’t suit you, we will work with you to find a time that works best to complete the process.
For further information or registration details, please contact:
Janet McLeod: 0275964586
email: janmak@xtra.co.nz
