I worked this kiln with Richard, Colette and many of the others in the video for 6 firings in the early years. Once coming back from living in the UK to spend a week stoking. It was one of the most memorable and profound experiences of my life. My favorite was working the night shift and watching the flames shoot out the chimney between stoking. Early one morning a small family of white geese or swans circled the flames in the flame lit dark, That image will be with me till I die and am buried at St. John's. The pottery, the kiln, the people and the community that all these create is a testament to Richard's vision.
Firing a large wood-fired kiln is a lifetime experience. The way the flue vibrates the ground, the standing sheets of flame inside, the people. Its an amazing experience. I havent had a chance to see the Johanna Kiln, but I have fired with the University of Notre Dame and it was completely unforgettable.
We just met Richard today, spent some time with him over tea. I will not soon forget this truly amazing man. What a great honor this has been! I hope to be back, thank you Richard!!
Excellent video, I felt every bit of it! I love wood fired pots but have never done a wood firing, I'm only into cone 10 firing. Maybe when I retire in 3-4 years I'll be able to find a wood firing. A lot of lucky people in that group picture!!!
I have the good fortune of living relatively close to Saint John's and am able to visit Richard once or twice a year. Not only is he a truly thoughtful and skilled potter, he has the ability to relate to people he barely knows, on an almost spiritual level. Although I have never had the chance to participate in a firing, he is without a doubt among the finest American potters and an exceptional human being. The feeling of his work when you hold it in your hands is hard to describe . . . other than it is meant to be used. These vessels are truly made with thoughtful consideration and the best of intention. If you ever find yourself in the Collegeville area, stop in and have a cup of tea with one of the most fascinating people you will ever meet.
This is just beautiful... I really want to make my own pots and I am looking into how to make and bake them, but after seeing this, I gained a total new respect for the whole process! Thank you so much for making something pretty cool into something truly amazing and for giving me a higher appreciation for this extraordinary way of creating things with things found in nature! Thank you soo much! (Btw, if you're accepting apprentices, I would love to be one of them!)
so all this time, women weren't allowed in the kilns because it was MEN's problem all along? lol. I'm glad to hear Richard seeing things in a different way. I like that he incorporates aspects from culture to culture.
And they were downed with the greatest of care and live on in the building that lives on in that place, which will live on as an artistic community...so the man's wishes and dreams for this special place come to fruition
Actually, in the documentary “ Clay, Wood, Fire, Spirit: The Pottery of Richard Bresnehan”, Richard explains that they only cut down dead, dying, and diseased trees. The only living trees he has cut down, were the ones he needed to create the road to his home. He also stores the wood in a way that it will not rot away and uses it for heating his whole house through the frigid Minnesota winters. At any rate, you need to fell trees in order to promote a healthy forest and prevent wildfires. I could go on as his whole life revolves on preservation and ecology, but that is apparent to attentive observers of his work.
