Wood-fired
Wood firing is an old practice that involves burning wood to heat a kiln chamber. It’s an exciting process that usually requires a team of people working as a community for multiple days. Firing involves constant stoking of the firebox. This subjects the wares to ash and smoke which creates beautiful variation in color and texture. Given the vast amount of labor needed, the expense o building a kiln, and the expense of wood used as fuel, wood firing is comparatively rare.
Raku
Raku is a technique where wares are heated until glowing, then pulled with tongs from the kiln and placed into a reduced (oxygen) atmosphere, such as a metal can full of combustible material. As it cools down rapidly, the glaze cracks and creates a crazed effect. In addition, the carbon from the burning combustibles becomes embedded in unglazed areas of clay, turning them black. Raku is a comparatively quick way of firing, but with more risk involved as you are handling red-hot wares.
