John specialises in salt
glaze,
producing large feature bowls and urns. Together we produce uniquely styled bird
baths, tall planters and other
garden features.Be amazed … by John Wi Neera’s stunning salt glazed pottery, produced on site and displayed for sale in the garden on stands of old jarra railway sleepers.
John specialises in salt
glaze,
producing large feature bowls and urns. Together we produce uniquely styled bird
baths, tall planters and other
garden features.
Two beautiful, historic domed kilns built and used during the 70s
remain intact and were the inspiration for the name of our property.
Be creative … Tumble-down though it may be, the pottery studio has a definite charm and our guests are welcome in the studio. Dabble in the clay or watch John at work. We have about six salt firings a year. Each is an awesome experience and one you may share if you are here at the time.
Salt glaze
John is one of the few remaining salt-of-the-earth potters
who continue to salt glaze, driven by a passion for this traditional firing
method and of course, the final result – a beautiful glaze with the
characteristic "orange peel" texture of salt glaze. A successful salt
firing relies mostly on the instinct, experience, skill (and fortitude!) of the
potter.
Salt glaze originated in Germany between the 12th and 14th centuries, probably by accident as a result of wood firing with salt laden driftwood. The distinctive glaze (or glass) which forms on the pots is the result of a reaction between the clay body of the pots and salt which is thrown into the kiln once a temperature of 13000C has been reached. Slips applied to the pots before firing provide a variety of colours and textures.
Dedicated kilns are used for salt firing, and Johns’s pots are fired on site in a 45 cubic foot brick kiln he built in 1998. The stoneware clay he uses comes from the Nelson district in the South Island of New Zealand.
Salt glazing is an expensive and labour intensive business. Our salt firings start about 6am and finish around 10pm. During the last hour and a half about 15kg of salt is gradually thrown into the kiln through two small portholes directly above the burners, using a long handled small shovel. The resultant salt fumes swirl around vigorously inside the kiln, gradually building up the glaze on the pots, and also glazing the kiln walls. Test rings are extracted periodically to determine when to finish salting. The kiln takes 3 days to cool before it can be opened.
Wracked by very high temperatures and the corrosive nature of the salt fumes, salt kilns and accessories (shelves, props and burners) are relatively short-lived. Much more fuel is used per cubic foot of kiln space because the kilns are not able to be lined with modern, energy-efficient ceramic fibre.
Salt glazed pots are food safe and oven proof.