Our First Wood Firing: Beauty, Fire & a Little Bit of Magic

There’s something both thrilling and a little nerve-wracking about trying something completely new — especially when fire is involved.

Over the past few weeks, we’ve been preparing for our first-ever wood firing adventure — all leading up to something fun, different, and completely unique for you to explore. This firing offers something special that’s unlike anything you’ve seen in previous collections.

Wood firing is one of the oldest (and most unpredictable) ways to fire pottery. Unlike the electric kiln firings you're familiar with, this process requires hours upon hours of constant attention — carefully stoking the fire, managing heat and airflow, and allowing the flame and ash to directly interact with every single piece inside the kiln.

The fire burns for well over 24 hours, reaching temperatures above 2300 degrees. It takes constant attention, with potters from Manhattan and K-State working together around the clock to keep the flames steady and strong. While it’s a true community effort to run the kiln, each finished piece still carries its own story — ready to make its way from the fire to you.

⚠️ Some won’t survive.
🎯 None will turn out exactly as planned.
🔥 Every piece tells its own story — shaped by flame, not just by hands.

The flames, heat, and ash interact directly with the surface of the clay, creating natural glaze effects that simply can’t be replicated any other way. Every piece comes out unique — touched by fire, and shaped by the kiln itself.

The kiln is cooling right now, with all the anticipation building toward opening day this Saturday. Soon, you’ll get a chance to see which pieces made it through — and bring home a one-of-a-kind piece from this special online pop-up shop.

If you’re curious to see the results, make sure to follow along. The real magic is almost here.