Simon Levin's Anagama

Joy Bridy Current Gallery & Pots For Sale

Driving from the last hold of summer heat in Washington DC to deep autumn Wisconsin is truly a refreshing change of pace. In October, 2007, Simon Levin invited me to join his crew to fire his anagama, and I could not resist the journey. Complete with splendid sunsets, laughing children, and a wonderfully motley crew of stokers, we loaded and fired over 1000 pieces of work. Simon has learned to accentuate a slow-moving, poetic reduction flame through the majority of his firing, and has fine-tuned a process of firing-down his kiln from top temperatures to 1500 degrees, resulting in lovely relaxed surface marks, accentuating the slow flame movement and stacking patterns of the pots. The pieces that returned home with me show more burgundy, purple, and deep brown than I've seen out of other kilns, as well as crisp ash deposits. I'm still enjoying regularly administered chunks of Straveccio special reserve parmesan cheese and the occasional Fat Squirrel from the New Glarus Brewing Co. Thanks to my pal Janet for her hands and sweater in these photos.