The wood fire kiln at Strathnairn Arts, affectionately known as the ‘groundhog’, was built by Fred Olsen in 1996. A visiting group of artists from the Tiwi Islands painted the exterior of the kiln with iron oxide, which eventually faded over time before it was covered completely during essential repairs.

In 1996, Strathnairn Arts Association hosted an exhibition titled the Australian Wood-Fire Survey in conjunction with the 8th National Ceramics Convention in Canberra.

As part of the program, renowned US ceramicist Fred Olsen helped build a wood-fire kiln at Strathnairn Arts while Owen Rye curated the exhibition of woodfired works for the gallery. In the essay for the exhibition, Rye wrote, “The concept of woodfire in ceramics is in some ways an odd one, focusing attention as it does on a process rather than a product.”

27 years later, the Wood Firing Group (WFG) at Strathnairn Arts continue to use the kiln would likely still agree with Rye’s observation; the group is connected by a passion for process – a long, physically and mentally demanding process.

Members of the Wood Firing Group prepare works for the kiln for the 2023 winter firing.

Hours are spent firstly making the work, then many more splitting tons of wood, playing clay-tetris as they pack the work into the kiln, then three days of working in shifts to feed the kiln non-stop as it’s fired. The ‘product’ is finally revealed as it’s unpacked – which of course is another job involving many hands and several hours.

WFG member Trenna Langdon says while she doesn’t exclusively use woodfiring for all her work, she says there’s something special about the method.

Rich glazes adorn Benjamin Kendon’s thrown vessels.

“I just love the process, the company, and the fired ceramic outcomes – each piece is unique. From the clay body and glaze used, the method used to make the object, its placement in the kiln down to the type of wood used in the firing schedule, each piece is unique because it’s affected by so many variables,” says Trenna.

“I am interested in surfaces and textures and really like the dimension that wood firing can bring to my pots. Particularly the ones that I make that reference eucalyptus bark – the woodfire makes them come alive – like a gumtree after the rain.”

Like Trenna, WFG Member Inge Zeilinger also likes the connection between woodfiring and the environment – explaining how the “unexpected effects emulate a tangible link with the Australian bush.”

“… pottery is a grand playground for experiments – glazes in particular pose an interest due to their unpredictability,” says Galia, another WFG member who say, because of her background as a scientist, says she likes the element of surprise and the oft ‘random’ results from woodfiring.

For WFG member Craig Edwards, it’s also all about process. Known for his meticulous approach, Craig records extensive data from each piece he makes including clay bodies, glazes, wood types, and kiln positions and describes his work as ‘simple forms made complicated by the process’.

Craig Edwards simple forms showcase the complexity behind the process of wood-fired ceramics.

“I use wild clay and rocks, wood ash [and combine these] with commercially available raw materials to make clay bodies and glazes,” says Craig.

But despite his methodical approach, he is keenly aware that there remains the element of surprise when unpacking a kiln – not everything can be controlled.

“[Am I] staring at a series of fortunate accidents, serendipitously forged through fire and chance? Or the incremental progression of process and technique that aims to replicate something more unique and difficult to achieve?” asks Craig.

Regardless of whether the end product is the result of good planning or if they have occurred by happy accident, the current exhibition in Strathnairn Arts’ Woolshed Gallery is nonetheless full of beautiful work.