Process & Technique

» Salku Firing
   Crunchy Looking Glaze

» Silicon Carbide & Cryolite Glazes
   Glaze With Craters

» The Japanese Teabowl Ceremony

Salku Firing

The primary focus of my most recent work is experimenting with various glaze textures. I have been perfecting a firing process called Salku, where salt is introduced into the kiln mid-fire. The surfaces of the resulting pots are extremely crusty, non-functional, and in fact tend to disintegrate over time.

First, the pots are stacked on top of one another or tumble stacked inside the kiln. A layer of charcoal separates each layer of pots, until the entire kiln is one large mass of pots and charcoal.

Then, within the next 4 hours I quickly raise the kiln temperature and introduce about one pound of salt. The intention is that the fused salt will adhere some of the remaining charcoal to the pieces inside. At the end of the firing, I toss in about 1-2 pounds of salt – let the vapors clear for 15-30 minutes and then rapidly cool or crash cool the kiln for one hour. If you were to peek into the kiln while it is crash cooling, you would see an intense fire that continues to burn for a number of hours until the charcoal inside completely burns away. The entire firing process takes about six hours and the kiln reaches between cone 8 and 10.

After cooling for about 24 hours, the opened kiln door reveals a result that looks like a total disaster. The salt, which fluxes at a high temperature, forms a layer of glass on the surfaces of the pots and fuses some pots together and or to the kiln floor.

The kiln is then unloaded with the aid of a rubber mallet – gently tapping pots to separate them from one another. The surfaces are full of scars, places where the salt has run, and fused charcoal. All of these combined elements give my pots the coveted “crunchy” surface I desire.

Silicon Carbide & Cryolite Glazes

Several other techniques I am experimenting with that greatly alter the surfaces of my work, are glazes that contain ingredients that bubble up or foam. Glazes that contain silicon carbide or cryolite are perfect for the desired effect. The glazes are fired in a normal reduction kiln to cone 8-10. Once fired, some of the pieces are sandblasted, often revealing craters or printed letters. The end results are unpredictable – often revealing not only crusty layers of glaze, but a surprising medley of colors. Moreover, the process is quite time consuming and labor intensive, yet never fails to be an extremely rewarding experience.

Shino Glaze

The pieces you see are mainly wheel thrown and altered by hand. After the first firing (referred to as the bisque firing) the forms are brushed with or dipped into glaze. Items are then high fired at cone 10 in a reduction gas kiln. The glaze that you see on on the platter to the left is glazed with a traditional Japanese glaze called Shino. In this case, Red Shino has been applied. Shino glazes are highly affected by the firing technique and their placement in the kiln and the results are often surprising in their variations. A phenomena called "carbon trapping" results in the deposit of black carbon when the kiln is deprived of oxygen. Shino glazes often "crawl" or separate across the surface of a piece. Though this is sometimes considered a glaze defect with other glazes, it is an extremely desirable quality with Shino glazes. This trait found in Shino glazes gives individuality and personality to each pot.

Todd signs his pieces in a very unique way. A two digit number denotes the age of the artist when the piece was created. Todd's close friends know that the Salku vase to the right is a couple years old! More about Todd

The Japanese Tea Ceremony

Todd's uniquely devised teabowls are inspired by the great tradition of the Japanese Tea Ceremony. The following text is an explanation of its history and the etiquette that is expected during the sacred ritual.

The purpose of a chaji, or full tea ceremony, is to allow the host an opportunity to express the utmost hospitality to his or her guests. In tea ceremony, water represents yin and fire in the hearth yang. A chashitsu is a building or a room in which the tea ceremony is performed. Together, the chashitsu, roji (tea garden), and mizuya (preparation room) should provide the optimum physical and spiritual setting for expressing this hospitality.

To understand the concepts behind chashitsu design, it is essential to be familiar with the flow of action in a chaji. A chaji is like a play consisting of two acts and an intermission. During this play, the host and guests perform a highly ritualized series of actions, carrying on a nearly wordless dialogue of symbolism and feeling. In the shoza, or first "act," the guests enter the chashitsu from the roji, and once inside, are served a light meal (kaiseki). Following the meal, the host prepares the charcoal for the first time (shozumi). After shozumi, the guests retire to the garden for a short break, "the intermission," and wait for the host to call them back into the chashitsu. The second "act" of a chaji is called the goza. First the host prepares koicha (thick tea) for the guests. He then prepares the charcoal a second time (gozumi) and makes usucha (thin tea). This tea rinses the palate and symbolically prepares the guests for leaving the spiritual world of tea and re-entering the physical world. When all of this is finished, the host and guests silently and respectfully acknowledge each other one last time, and the guests take their leave.

 Rules of Etiquette for Guests

Be prompt in arriving so your host can begin on time. Remove your shoes when entering a Japanese home—the host will provide slippers to wear. Drink the entire portion of tea (it will not be large) and eat everything served. Turn the tea bowl slightly to avoid drinking tea from the front side.  Smoking is generally prohibited in the tea room. Each implement used in a tea gathering (including scroll, flowers, and food) has been thoughtfully selected by your host and has special meaning. They should be treated as objects of appreciation. Admire them and compliment your host with sincerity. This is the most important responsibility of a guest. After two or three days, call or write a note of thanks to express your appreciation. This is known as korei or "thanking afterwards."