Trial by fire: wood-fired kiln comes to life on Sheridan College campus

Taking years to plan, blueprint and create, a wood-fired kiln has been fired to life on the Sheridan College campus. 

Owner of Red Bison Studios, Stephen Mullins, has been working for the past few years to raise funds for the construction of a wood-fired kiln. Through generous donations from local foundations and individuals, Mullins’ dream became a reality on the campus of Sheridan College. 

Illinois based pottery artist Mike Tavares serves as an apprentice under wood-fire potter Simon Levin (the lead-builder of the kiln). With a crew, the two ceramists arrived in Sheridan back in May to build the kiln over a two week period. Recently, the kiln was fired and brought to temperature for the first time.

Tavares stopped by Sheridan Media to appear on Public Pulse the day after the kiln was fired.

The wood-fired kiln requires a skilled level of attention when firing. According to Tavares, unless it’s closely monitored, the temperature can fluctuate rapidly, changing the outcomes of the clay works inside. But the results from a wood-fired kiln yield glaze textures and colors that cannot be achieved by conventional means. 

Educated at Syracuse University, New York, Tavares lives and breathes clay, glaze and pottery. Inspired and fascinated by the medium itself, Tavares’ mind formulates ideas in the third-dimension. 

Tavares will give a presentation on his work as an apprentice in the building of the kiln and how the initial firing was conducted. The presentation will begin at 5 p.m. Monday, Oct. 17, at SAGE Community Arts. The event is free and open to the public.