North Devon Ceramics Events
Victoria Park, Bideford, June 2002.

Constructed from clay was a sculpture that resembled a local building that was at the same time a wood firing kiln. Community involvement and interaction throughout the process was integral to the overall concept. It was a process-based artwork that adapted the idea of the firing as an event - it was a gathering of people and ceramics within a transformative space.

The concluding of this 'work' began when I arrived on 23rd June with research and dialogue. This all stemmed from selection of an appropriate building to use as a model for the form of the kiln. Blackmores Depository, a building which planners (funding pending) hope to transform into the Institute of Creative Ceramic Art. It was a building I felt hd great potency for the project - I began to look at ways that a miniature ceramic version of the building could be structured internally to allow fire to pass evenly through every part of it. In the first week I selected the appropriate site within Victoria Park in Bideford within walking distance of the Blackmores Depsoitory. I built the brick firebox base while at the same time co-ordinating the activities of a number of helpers to make small figures using (previoulsy made) plaster moulds. Enough figures were to be made to fill the kiln, they were dipped in Porcelain slip and then marked with the date and place of firing. At the end of the week having lined the firebox with insulating fireblanket, I began building the ceramic structure on top. This process took 4 days intense work. Time was essential in order to complete the piece for the kiln in the park day. After finishing the roof of the miniature building I stayed on site encouraging the piece to dry with small intenal fires, and meanwhile taking workshops with local school groups making more figures to go inside. On July 31st I packed the kiln with all the figures that had been made, sealed the door and wrapped the whole kiln in fire blanket insulation. At midnight the slow process of firing the piece began, the temperature rising to 500 degrees Centigrade by midmorning of July 4th. By the evening I had a small crew of helpers and the furnace was glowing red at about 1000 degrees centigrade. However raising the temperature up to the planned 1200 degrees Centigrade was proving very difficult as none of the cones that melted even at lower temperatures had changed in the slightest. After many hours trying to discern the character of the kiln and the atmosphere - changing the amount of wood I put in and when etc, my helpers and I decided to give up and try again the following day. The next day I spoke to other local wood firers asking for advice, and also borrowed a thermostat so that I might be able to be more precise when gettting top temperatures. The next day we reached the peak temperature with no problems.

Many thanks to the Burton Art Gallery and Tessa Fitzjohn for their patience and support during this exhibition. Thanks also to Scarva Clays, Haughton Hare Pottery Supplies, and Warren Insulations.

For more information about Art events in Bideford visit the Burton Gallery Website: www.burtonartgallery.co.uk
If you would like to know more about these projects you can read the article in Ceramic Review. March/April 2003 Issue 20. If you would like to commission a similar project contact thjbarnett@yahoo.co.uk