Soda fire
I’ve always loved the colors and textures of soda firing. Without easy access to a soda kiln it’s been a goal of mine for years to experiment with soda firing. Lucky enough for me I met Kevin Kowalski on instagram a few years ago. Mr. Kevin is an artist, creator and teacher who converted an electric kiln to soda gas firing.
What exactly is a soda kiln?
Imagine a magical oven that transforms your clay creations into beautiful pieces of art. That's basically what a soda kiln does! “In the soda firing process, soda ash (sodium carbonate) in water solution, is sprayed into kiln at maturing temperature, and sodium vapor combines with silica in clay to form sodium-silicate glaze.” – excerpted from Ceramic Arts Daily. This results in unique glazes and textures on your ceramics.
Workshops
When I saw Mr. Kevin was holding a workshop a few years ago, I couldn’t wait to sign up. I prepared 8 pieces to fire over two weekends and was totally hooked on the process and the outcome. Since then I’ve done two or three of his workshops leaving me with pieces I couldn’t part with. So I knew I needed to do more and reached out to Mr. Kevin to see if I could do a private firing and that’s what we did. It was an incredible experience and the work you see here is what came out of that firing. You can watch me unload the entire kiln here.
Preparing for the soda fire
It took me weeks to build and bisque fire enough pieces to take for the soda fire. First, if you know me, I love to work with dark clay but that wasn’t going to work for the soda fire. I needed to switch over to a white clay for this firing. So, cleaning up the wheel and all my tools was the first step. Once the shed was clean and ready to go, I had to make the tough decision of what to build. It felt like a lot of pressure because I knew I had limited space and limited time with Mr. Kevin and his kiln. I kept it to key favorites like mugs and bowls. I made sure to spend extra time faceting and carving for the details that show so nicely in a soda fire. These pieces are all very special to me. 
Experimentation
Through the time I spent with Mr. Kevin, I found the things I liked and didn’t. There were shapes that worked well and ones that didn’t. Colors and textures that I couldn’t get enough of and others that didn’t do it for me. WIth this recent firing, I experimented with local materials, different clays and glazing techniques that resulted in a fantastic firing with many different textures and colors!
Using Local Natural Materials
If you see a pot with black speckles, it is sand I collected from a local beach, cleaned, dried and mixed into the white clay. It was risky so I didn’t make too many pieces like this but I couldn’t be happier with how this turned out! I will definitely be doing this again.
How does it work?
Once you have glazed the bisque ware, you are ready to load the kiln. Keeping in mind, spacing and air flow to maximize the effects of the soda ash effect. As the kiln reaches high temperatures, the soda ash is introduced, vaporizes and interacts with the clay, creating stunning effects. It's like a chemistry experiment, without the explosions.
Why choose a soda kiln?
Well, for starters, soda firing produces one-of-a-kind results that you just can't achieve with traditional glazes. The process is unpredictable and exciting, making each piece truly unique. Plus, who doesn't love a little element of surprise in their art?
Tips for success
Now, before you go full steam ahead with your soda kiln adventures, here are a few tips to keep in mind. First, Get yourself a mentor like Mr. Kevin. Second, make sure your pieces are fully dry before firing to avoid any cracking or explosions. Third, experiment with different amounts of soda ash to achieve the desired effects. And finally, embrace the imperfections – that's what makes soda firing so special!
Get fired up!
So, there you have it – a crash course in making ceramics in a soda kiln. It's a wild ride, but the results are totally worth it. So, grab your clay, fire up that kiln, and let your creativity soar! You will definitely be seeing more soda fires from me!
~Dax