Kevin Crowe's Anagama-Noborigama

Joy Bridy Current Gallery & Pots For Sale

November, 2007, my third firing of this multi-chambered kiln.....as the leaves fell from the oldest mountain range, those Appalachian beauties, a group of energetic mostly-city-dwellers descended upon Kevin Crowe's peaceful haven of pots and wood. We stoked, we cooked, we ate, walked, slept, conversed, danced, and unloaded our pots from the majestic anagama-noborigama. Kevin's kiln is a three chamber wonder, the front chamber a tube kiln, or anagama, the second noborigama style chamber primarily for shinos, and the third noborigama style chamber is stoked liberally with salt on boards once it reaches temperature. Kevin's apprentice, Krista Loomans, gets the Apprentice of the Year Award for handling all of the hubbub with a smile and shake of her hips, and Kevin gets the Community Builder of the Year Award for graciously welcoming the crew, friends, loved ones, and curious explorers with open arms, a big smile, and a plate of food.

This year, I came a little early to help stoke during the days of preheat. Peaceful time spent alone in front of a small fire , reading, writing, reflecting. I was fresh returned from Simon Levin's firing in Wisconsin, and was happy for the quiet time to catch up with myself. Just as the firing got going, I was called away to a funeral, and could not make it back until the end of unloading. Amazingly, as far away as I felt, I could still bring to mind what temperature the kiln was most likely hovering around, which ports wood was being stoked into, and who would be on shift (or more specifically, what kind of music was being played.) The pots from this firing were real beauties, and I look forward to further exploring the possibilities of the multiple chambers.