The Wildwood Gallery

  Stoneware and Salt-Glazed Stoneware Pottery By Don Lewis

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        Master Potter 

                                    Don Lewis

My pottery is wheel-thrown stoneware, glazed and fired to 2250ºF.  I work primarily alone, with occasional help from apprentice/interns that I sometimes mentor.   Each piece that I make involves the use of traditional hand methods and contemporary equipment.

First, my clays--blends of several different clays, to achieve the plasticity,  texture, and color that I want-- must be mixed and aged, then wedged by hand just before us.  For much of my work, I prefer a traditional kick wheel, but for larger pieces I use an electric wheel.  After a pot is thrown, it is partially dried, to the "leather-hard" stage, at which time it is trimmed, and handles, textures, etc., are applied.  It is set aside to dry completely,  then bisque-fired to 1700ºF.  After bisquing, the pot is still porous,  yet hard enough to handle when glaze is applied. 

A decoration may be applied at any point from the throwing through the glazing, depending on the type of decoration desired.  Glazes are mixed with water and applied by pouring and dipping.  I use two separate methods of glaze firing in my gas-fueled kilns-- reduction, and salt-glazing.

In reduction firing, the air supply to the burners is decreased and the damper is partially closed at critical times during the firing cycle.  The flame  becomes "oxygen-hungry" and takes combined oxygen from the clay and glazes, causing changes in color and uniformity.  The pieces fired in this manner are heightened by unexpected flecks of color and brilliance.

Salt or soda-glazing is done in a kiln built especially for that purpose.  Unglazed or partially glazed pots are fired to near peak temperature, at which point  common table salt or soda is slowly introduced  into the kiln, through portholes.  The salt or soda volatizes, coating everything in the interior with its rich glaze.  When cooled, the glazes are of  vibrant earth hues ranging from very light grays to dark browns, depending on the type of clay and firing schedule.  Additional colors are obtained by use of of colorants in underglazes or engobes.   Salt or soda glazing's unique characteristic is  a  distinctive highly-textured "orange-peel" patina.

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