All the colors of fire

Have you ever been to a wood-firing of pottery? Perhaps like me, you're vaguely aware that in order for pottery to get that wonderful glaze, the clay has to be baked in a kiln. But most people don't own kilns, and most people are not even aware of how involved a process it is to fire pottery.

Sue Norris of Sugar Grove knows. And she has built a wood-fired kiln in her backyard. And it seems that if you build a kiln in your backyard, other potters will come.

Merrilee Batten of Batavia is one of those potters. "We've all done everything artistic -- painted, stained glass -- we keep doing the pottery because we're a group. It's kind of a social group," she says.

Despite high winds and annoying rain, Batten and five other potters met in Norris' backyard last weekend to do the first firing of the spring. This is not a two-hour affair. It is at least a 24-hour process.

The group took several hours to stock the kiln with about 150 pieces -- the result of a long winter's work. There were bowls, cups, vases, urns, plates, teapots (considered functional pieces), and then there were interesting boxes made by potter Tom Miller of Aurora (considered non-functional pieces). Even he wasn't sure what you can use them for, but he is addicted to making them.

The fire would be lit after all the preparations were done, a fire that would burn about 24 hours. Essential to the process is a regulated fire. And so it would take all seven potters on a rotating schedule (and plenty of snacks), to keep the fire stoked, ensuring consistency of the flames. These flames and the wood ash flaring through the kiln are what cause the random glazing to occur on clay.

Examining wood-fired pottery reveals speckled surfaces and colors that are somewhat wild in nature. Technically, a chemical bond takes place between the clay's silica and the potash of the fire. So the potter never knows what the fired piece will ultimately look like. And that, apparently, is the charm.

"It's kind of like opening gifts at Christmas," says Batten. "You never know how the pots are going to come out for sure, and there can be some real surprises which can be like a great Christmas surprise and, at times, an April Fools-like joke, too."

They could fire their pieces in a gas or electric-powered kiln, but the results are vastly different. The pottery exits from this kind of kiln with a much more uniform color and consistent pattern. For these potters, wood-firing is worth the trouble. "If you want consistent pottery, this isn't for you," suggests Norris.

The group calls itself the Blackberry Ridge Potters, essentially independent potters, except for the firings they do as a group several times a year. Two firings are open to the public, which include a demonstration, the loading of the kiln and discussion on the process of creating pottery. Potter Mike Melody of Bristol will give the narrative. The spring open house is from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 17. The second open house is in late November, in time for the holidays.

Other potters in the group are Mary Jordan of Aurora, who specializes in bunnies and three-dimensional flowers on vases and other vessels; Karen Hard of North Aurora, who makes cups and tumblers; and Joe Kraft of Batavia, who likes to make teapots and mugs.