John Benn and Colleen Gallagher
Harstine Island Wood Kilns
The larger of our kilns, the Mongrelgama, has two low chambers and is 23 feet long. John designed it to get anagama-style firing effects and ash,
but it has castable refractory lids that open on hinges to make it easy to load. There is a small firebox between the two chambers.
The large kiln shares a chimney with a Bourry-box salt kiln. We fire the salt kiln in two ways: with a bagwall and salted;
or without a bagwall and without salt (this gives us similar effects to a train kiln.)
John and I are accustomed to working alone. In contrast, firing with wood is often a communal activity, and our firing
crew joins in our hard work and long hours. Our usual crew members -- Karen Mittet, MJ Boushie, Reid Ozaki
Stacy Landers and Chris Knapp -- share with us their often different approaches and attitudes toward clay, surfaces
and fire.
We have also been fortunate to have had many other potters and friends fire with us.
