Tasmania Residency – Reedy Marsh

Mid- March 2013, I took on one of the most adventurous journey of my life, where for 66 days I travelled around Australia, completed a residency with ceramic artist Neil Hoffmann in Tasmania and attended “Clay Push” a ceramic conference held in Gulgong.

Amongst the beautiful, breathtaking landscape of Tasmania is Reedy Marsh Pottery – wood firer Neil Hoffmann’s studio, located on 160 acres of lush conserved bush property. This would be home for the next 6 weeks!

I was introduced to and fell in love with the art of wood firing at Golden Bridge Pottery, Pondicherry where I started my career in ceramics. My love turned into an obsession at Tasmanaia.  Reedy Marsh Pottery is a wood firers’ paradise with several easy-to-fire kilns. Over the course of 5 weeks I would fire the salt kiln 6 times, fire the fast fired wood kiln and assist Michael Stephan (Tasmanian Ceramicist) fire a long-throat bourry-box kiln. My days were spent in the studio making pots, bisque firing as soon as a kiln load was ready, followed by a glaze firing mostly in the salt kiln.

With small kilns and repeat firings I got to refine my work with frequent feedback from the kiln. I built confidence in making work more quickly, not fussing over pieces. I am immensely grateful to Neil for guiding me, teaching me, analyzing each piece and showing me ways to improve my technique.

The memories of my time in Australia will stay with me forever. Along with all the ceramic work that I did – I learnt to appreciate a work ethic, the limitless joy and self satisfaction of really working with your own hands. I did things that I never imagined myself ever doing!  From cutting wood with a chain saw, stacking wood, solo firing a salt kiln, driving a tractor, getting bitten by leeches, kayaking at Tuncurry and swimming amongst humongous waves on the most pristine beach!

Year – 2013
Firing techniques – wood and salt firings