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Primitive Art Firing

a group of men looking at a metal mesh
The art class members prepare the pits with wood to start the fire. Media Center Director Adam Bowen will have a video of the project soon. Look for it published on the website next week!  Photos by Howard W. Hewitt

a man with his hands out

Professor of Art Doug Calisch was guiding the students through the primitive process.

a group of men looking at a piece of pottery

Kelvin Burzon '12 and John Henry '10 assist Calisch in properly stacking the pots.

a group of people holding a sculpture

The stacking is important because as the fire burns and all of the firing material settles the pottery can be cracked.

a group of men painting pottery

Steven Woodruff '12 helps place pots on the grate where they'll be fired.

a group of people outside

After the pots are in place its time for the cow chips - fuel for the fire!

a man standing in front of a fire

Michael Nobbe '10 watches the group work on firing the pit. The flames in front of him are coming for a firing pit build by Nick Roudebush '09. Roudebush was on campus for three days during this project as an "Artist in Residence" to assist with the student's firing project.

a man with a camera and a man with a camera

Bowen is creating a video story to show the entire process. Here, he gets video of Henry lighting the largest fire pit.

a group of people outside by a fire pit

Media Center Director Adam Bowen gets footage of Fabian Villanueva '13 firing the third pit.

a couple of men digging in a pit

Thursday morning was time for the reveal. Calisch and Chris Pearcy '10 start pulling back the coals from the fire.

a man putting a piece of clay into a pile of pots

The first peak at the fired pots.

a man kneeling in the dirt holding a pot
Calisch carefully examines each piece looking for cracks. See next photo album to follow the firing process.

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