In the heart of every wood-fire kiln lies a story, not just of clay transformed by flame, but of the people who gather around it. Community wood-firing is more than a technical process; it is a shared act of creative vision and collective effort. This month, Studio Potter invites readers to explore the stories of four artists and authors who love the craft and have shaped a personal approach to wood-firing culture.

In our FREE article this month, Hamish Jackson interviews Twig C., the founder of the non-profit organization Queer Cat. This org provides an annual free ceramic art program for LGBTQIA+ artists in the Portland, Oregon, area, promoting clay education, accessibility, and community-building through wood-firing. Stephen Driver attends and reviews the Korean Ceramic Artist Association’s Wood Fire Workshops, in the Gyeonggi Province of Korea. And Eileen Sackman documents her research in “Crafting Fire: A Contemporary Exploration of Traditional Iga Wood-firing.”

In a time when individuality often takes center stage, the communal nature of wood-firing offers a refreshing counterpoint. Studio Potter is nothing if not a hub for community development. During our Spring Fundraising campaign, our readers spoke up and championed a call for more wood-fire content, and we heard you. Your giving efforts in May of 2024 made this issue possible, and we will have a second and third wood-fire issue in May and December of 2025. 

Much like our authors, who hold space for their experience in the wood-firing community, Studio Potter wants to ensure that every year, we offer at least two issues dedicated to wood-firing. To make this possible, we need your support. Studio Potter is a small non-profit with one staff member, and we direct your donation right back into the hands of authors and artists from our community.

Please consider donating today to ensure the security of content from the wood-firing community, process, and history. If you aren’t a member yet or your membership has lapsed, sign up. An investment in membership grants you access to our extensive archives and contemporary content, and your support allows Studio Potter to reinvest in and strengthen the clay community.

Each stoke of the fire is a testament to collaboration and the wisdom of working together toward a common goal. Whether you donate or become a member today, you contribute to a shared Studio Potter mission: preserving ceramic traditions, amplifying new voices and research, and serving as a collective voice for ceramic artists.

Randi O'Brien, editor and executive director