Art news 16/7/14: Pit-firing at St Ives September Arts Festival

For the fourth year running the sculptor Mary Kaun-English will be facilitating a pit-firing event as part of the St Ives September Arts Festival in Cornwall, UK. Ceramic Pit-firing is an ancient artesian method which was developed into an art medium during the 60/70’s in California.

“There is something magical about having an open air ceramic firing on the beach, under the stars in St Ives with its historical connections with the Arts.” Mary organises several communal pit-firing events a year in southern England, exhibiting her work throughout the UK, Australia, China and India. This yearly event on the shoreline is the pinnacle event of her year’s work. The ceramic sculptures are placed in a pit, which is dug on Porthmeor beach; a large fire is burnt in the pit, engulfing the ceramics with smoke and fire. Unusually in ceramics no glaze is used; the patterns of strong earthy colours which infuse the clay surface are achieved by the coloured smoke, given off by the burning organic materials, passing over and around the pieces as the fire burns. “My goal is to achieve a temperature exceeding 800C in the pit – therefore insurance and prior permission is fundamental. We stay with the fire overnight as it burns down; tide tables have previously been studied to determine the optimum time to achieve a good firing.”

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The process is as much spiritual as artistic – reminding us of a time when our existence depended on similar methods. Preparing the pit will start at 3pm on September 13 on Porthmeor Beach, St Ives, Cornwall with the fire being light at 6pm. The following morning the pit will be opened at 10am to reveal the ceramic work, unique to that firing. Mary will be available to discuss her working methodology throughout the event. www.marykaunenglish.com www.stivesseptemberfestival.co.uk