Alternative Firing: Smoke, Flame & Transformation
Led by Angela Smith Kirkman
Explore the unpredictable beauty of smoke, flame, heat, and atmosphere in this immersive five-day workshop combining hand-building with Raku and alternative firing methods.
Students will create forms specifically for low-fire and atmospheric processes, starting with how shape, texture, surface, and firing will work together. Through demonstrations in pinch, coil, slab, hollow forms, and surface design, students will develop individual work while learning how different firing methods leave distinct marks on clay. After bisque firing, we will explore traditional glazed Raku along with alternative surface and firing possibilities that may include naked Raku, horsehair, saggar, smoke, and fume effects, depending on the work, weather, equipment, and interests of the group.
The second half of the week becomes a communal exploration of fire as students participate in preparing, firing, reducing, smoking, cleaning, and finishing their pieces. Open to all experience levels!
Please click here for a brief overview & introduction from the Instructor, Supply List and Workshop Schedule.
Program Tuition: $750 (does not include Room & Board)
Students will create forms specifically for low-fire and atmospheric processes, starting with how shape, texture, surface, and firing will work together. Through demonstrations in pinch, coil, slab, hollow forms, and surface design, students will develop individual work while learning how different firing methods leave distinct marks on clay. After bisque firing, we will explore traditional glazed Raku along with alternative surface and firing possibilities that may include naked Raku, horsehair, saggar, smoke, and fume effects, depending on the work, weather, equipment, and interests of the group.
The second half of the week becomes a communal exploration of fire as students participate in preparing, firing, reducing, smoking, cleaning, and finishing their pieces. Open to all experience levels!
Please click here for a brief overview & introduction from the Instructor, Supply List and Workshop Schedule.
Program Tuition: $750 (does not include Room & Board)
Program Details
Start Date:
End Date:
Categories:
Ceramics
Ghost Ranch Program
Date & Time Details:
3:00 pm Check in
10:00 am Check out
10:00 am Check out
Location:
Ghost Ranch
Address:
280 1708 Dr, Abiquiu, NM 87510, USA
Contact:
Programs
programs@ghostranch.org
505-685-1000
Email Us About Program
About the Leader
Angela Smith Kirkman
Angela Smith Kirkman is a ceramic artist and educator based in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
She is the owner of Tumbleroot Brewery & Distillery, Tumbleroot Pottery Pub, and Paseo Pottery, one of New Mexico’s largest community ceramics studios, offering classes and workshops in wheel throwing, hand-building, sculpture, and Raku firing. For more than thirty-five years, Angela has explored ceramic arts and firing techniques. She is passionate about harvesting wild clay from the New Mexico landscape and helping students discover that ceramics is more than making pots—it is a way of understanding earth, fire, place, and the beauty of the unexpected.
She is the owner of Tumbleroot Brewery & Distillery, Tumbleroot Pottery Pub, and Paseo Pottery, one of New Mexico’s largest community ceramics studios, offering classes and workshops in wheel throwing, hand-building, sculpture, and Raku firing. For more than thirty-five years, Angela has explored ceramic arts and firing techniques. She is passionate about harvesting wild clay from the New Mexico landscape and helping students discover that ceramics is more than making pots—it is a way of understanding earth, fire, place, and the beauty of the unexpected.