Ceramics: Soda Firing with Wood Workshop

Sat & Sun, January 13-14, 2024

Saturday: 10am-4pm Sunday: 9am-6pm

This class is a workshop designed to teach the basics of soda glazing and wood firing ceramics. The first day, after a brief overview, will be spent applying colorants and/or glaze to your own bisque-ware, then loading the kiln using wads. The second day will be spent firing the kiln using wood and injection of the soda which forms the glaze on exposed surfaces.

First day: We will cover decoration options, including glazes and colorants, and then students will apply decoration to their pieces. As students are applying glazes and décor, we will also be loading the kiln, using the wadding required for salt and soda firing.

Second day: This day will be spent firing, using wood. I will cover basic safety subjects, and students will take turns loading the fireboxes every 10-15 minutes during the 16-18 hour firing. Once we reach cone 8-9, we will start to apply the soda. Soda is sprayed in until the sample rings, which we extract during this time, look like they have an acceptable glaze coating. Students do not have to stay the entire time, but bonus points to whoever does.

The firing will be to cone 10. Only cone 10 clays are allowed, and pieces must be bisque fired already. Soldate-60 or WSO clay sold by SCA, or, if you work from home, other cone 10 clays are welcome.

Email info@sebarts.org to consult with the instructor before purchasing registration.

About the Instructor: David Schoch has kept a passion for ceramics since college. Some of the more formative events that he’s been involved with are taking a college class from Robert Arneson at UC Davis, getting involved with the UCD Campus Recreation organization called the Craft Center, a salt-firing class at Napa College from Carolyn Broadwell, dismantling the CC's gas kiln, and more. David has his own ceramics studio at his house in Sebastopol, where he performs pit firings, cone 10 reduction firings, oxidation firings, and soda firing. He currently teaches beginner and intermediate wheel-throwing classes, and has a "guild" of co-workers that meets at his studio once a week to expand their skills and inspire him to try new things.