Anagama: Building 'Moby Dick'

    I have visited various potteries and observed many different firings in Japan. I once came across a rather strange firing. The primitive looking kiln was called 'anagama'. 'Anagama' is a Japanese word used to designate a cave kiln, a type of kiln that has its origins in ancient times. I was captivated by the simple wood-firing and the image has remained in my heart. After living in London for a while, I found I was missing the flames, smoke and smell of burning wood so much that I decided to build my 'anagama' for myself.
    My kiln design is based on various mediæval kilns in Japan, and when I met Furutani Michio (1946 - 2000) in Shigaraki, an outstanding potter and a master kiln-builder, he kindly passed on to me his secret techniques of 'anagama' building.
    My first kiln "Moby Dick" was built in Aldbury, Tring, Hertfordshire in 1995. It measures 30 ft long and 10 ft at its widest and is usually fired for 8 - 10 days. It has no fire-box, no ash-pit, no proper bag-wall, no dampers, no side-stoking holes and not even spy-holes to enjoy peeking.
    I have designed and built many wood-fired kilns since my first "Moby Dick", including 6 'anagama' and 8 'raku' kilns.
    Wood-firing can be done with a simple 'anagama' but it is very temperamental. And success only comes after many long days of tenacious work coupled with a good understanding of nature. My life project is to build 'anagama' with mediæval features because I admire the wisdom of ancient potters.

'Baby Moby' Mini Anagama Chalfont (2001)

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The mini 'anagama' was built for the Wood Festival at Chiltern Open Air Museum. Only second-hand house bricks were available and it was built in 18 hours without using a conventional former. The mini 'anagama' was then fired for three days throughout the show.

'Orca' Thai Kiln Dinton (Spring, 2006)

1: A kiln with a view 2: The willow former 3: The kiln is complete and ... 4: ... waiting to be fired 5: The pile of split wood 6: A firing at night

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The Kiln design was based on old cross-draft kilns from Sawankhalok & Sukhothai, Thailand.

'Moby Junior' Medium Size Anagama Cheddington (Summer, 2006)

1: Digging the kiln floor 2: A willow former 3: Kiln visitors 4: Bricklaying 5: Another night of firing

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This 'anagama' was built in a beautiful private garden in summer. Pots were made and fired for my solo exhibition which was held at the 'Long Room Gallery' (Tring) in Autumn 2006.

Raku Kilns Aldbury & Dinton

1: A Raku-gama in the woods 2: The kiln door 3: A Raku-gama on the hill

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An instant 'raku' kiln can be built very quickly and should work fine. I once built one in half an hour and fired it straight away. Yet, I prefer designing wood-fired 'raku' that can be fired slowly and many times. Maybe it's because I enjoy modifying and improving them after each firing.