The Journal of Australian Ceramics Vol 49 No 1 April 2010

Focus : Wood-Firing
Right Malcolm. exhausted
Below: Corrugated Vase.
stoneware. shlno slip. ash glaze
h.2Scm; photo: Steve CummIngs
group of five Japanese restaurants for which I have produced about 100 different shapes and possibly
5000 pieces during the last year), there has been little spare time to fire with wood.
On several occasions, the owner of the Japanese restaurants would visit and see (and appreciate) the
numerous wood-fired pots on my workshop shelves or on display in my home. The inevitable would
come up: "Can you produce a platter with that glaze/surface for the restauranU" Obviously it was not
economically or logistically feasible for me to produce this work in a wood-fired ki ln, so I've been playing
w ith ash and slips (plus a few other odds and ends) and developing some exciting surfaces.
I began to see the challenge of producing work in the gas kiln which incorporated the same beauty
and excitement found in the wood-fired work. Early success was the needed encouragement to
continue down this path, as well as opening up other possibilities to explore.
Last year's work has shown me that it is the end product which is the most important, not so much
the type of firing we use. Now, I do not mention the firing process in the description of my work. Of
course I will always be fascinated and challenged by wood-firing and the results, but forever eager to
explore the possibilities offered by firing with both gas and wood.
www.malcolmgreenwood.com
THE JOURNAL OF AUSTRALIAN CERAMICS APRil 2010 39