Why I do it

I was introduced to the practice of salt firing during my studies at UNITEC and fell in love with the process. It seemed incredible that a simple process of biffing a bit of salt into a hot kiln could produce such an amazing glazed surface. Another aspect that appealed was the nature of the kilns. Simple affairs constructed haphazardly out of old bricks and fired to extreme temperatures because of the power of diesel burners. It was amazing to see these structures open up as a result of the heat (and only a single skin of bricks) so that at night each crack glowed like a highlight around the bricks.
I was seduced by the surfaces and the process and have remained so ever since. However I have also gained a subtle understanding of the process and a small grip on the technicalities involved. I have begun to understand the nature of the firing and how it controls the salt vapour. The shape of the kiln and the placing of the work all play a part. So to do the various clays and slip combinations. All these possibilities are becoming more understood in regard to their effect over the eventual glazed surface. These examples below will give you an idea about my current work.