The Journal of Australian Ceramics Vol 49 No 1 April 2010

Focus: Wood -Firing
Rowley Drysdale (RD): What do you perceive as the advantages and disadvantages
of having these types of kilns in the tropics?
Len Cook (LC)
The advantages of having an anagama in Paluma are:
1. Availability of wood
2. Being able to f ire the kiln without having to worry about fire restrictions
3. No immediate neighbours to complain about smoke
4. Paluma residents are very involved and interested in seeing the anagama being fired.
5. Winter weather is quite cool and usually very stable; it's a good time to fire.
The disadvantages are:
1. Trying to get wood dry enough before the firing
2. Double handling the wood which is stacked west of Paluma in drier country
3. Pots sometimes take longer to dry when the humidity is high
RD: How do the regional characteristics of climate, geology and vegetation impact
on your work?
LC:
1. High humidity could influence natural glaze surface, as high humidity automatically introduces water
into the kiln, causing reduction .
2. Locally found clay influences my pot shapes as it rest ricts me to making pieces which are made in one
throw. Additions seem to be quite obvious after the firing.
3. Locally harvested wood affects the local clay colour, producing individual effects.
RD: Is there a specifically regional character emerging in North Queensland ceramics born out
of your responses to the above questions?
LC: I'm not sure how to answer this one. I think wood-fired ceram ics are as individual as the people
who produce them.
RD: Is there a connection between self-sufficiency in more remote areas and the ethos
of wood-firing?
LC: I see firing the anagama as a total indulgence and a long way from being self sufficient. It is a
labour of love as the kiln produces only a small number of pieces I am really happy with. Most of the
other pieces are sold through my studio. They are okay, but I couldn't survive on the sales of these
pieces.
48 THE JOURNAL OF AUSTRALIAN CERAMICS APRIL 2010