Each spring, I am fortunate to participate in a traditional anagama wood kiln firing on Denman Island. 25 dedicated potters gather to take shifts stoking the kiln, and feeding the group over 4 days and nights. Traditional woodfiring is an art unto itself, and appeals to pottery purists. It is filled with traditions, and techniques, and requires a community of dedicated participants. I love doing the midnight shift, where we keep awake by exchanging knowledge, and experiences in the endless ceramics learning journey. This last spring, as I lay at midnight listening to a pair of owls in the garden, I was inspired to sculpt one for the pending woodfiring weekend. They are an age-old symbol of both wisdom, and of working at night while the rest of the world sleeps. How perfect!

Cone 10 stoneware, hand sculpted, black slip scraffito and woodfired.