Yuki Watanabe
Tim Carlson
Wood Firing Workshop
$775
Member Pricing - $650
Common Clay Space will be hosting a Wood Firing Workshop in partnership with Spring Valley Anagama. In this workshop, we will be covering the basics of firing a wood burning kiln and exploring how glazes and atmospheric effects interact with our pieces. We will also be reviewing the etiquette of being part of a wood firing community.
In addition to wood firing, local Bay Area artists Yuki Watanabe and Tim Carlson will be instructing participants on teapot making and assembling, kurinuki cups, and handbuilding with kohiki slabs with a focus on pieces that will interact well with the wood fire kiln. The work participants will be making with Yuki and Tim will then be wood fired at Spring Valley Anagama.
Please review the curriculum below as attendance is mandatory on certain days to ensure your pieces get into the kiln.
Making
Saturday, December 6th (10AM-3PM) - Throwing Teapots, Kurinuki Cups with Yuki Watanabe
Sunday, December 7th (10AM-3PM) - Trimming, Assembling Teapots, Glaze Demo with Yuki Watanabe
Saturday, December 13th (10AM-3PM) - Kohiki Slab Building with Tim Carlson
Sunday, December 14th (10AM-3PM) - Kiln Tour and Workday at Spring Valley Anagama with Josephine Tsang, finish glazing pieces at the studio in the afternoon
*30 minute lunch break will be taken during each workshop day
Firing
Friday, December 19th (10AM-5PM)* - Loading Day & Potluck
Saturday, December 20 - Sunday, December 21** - Firing
Wednesday, December 24 (4PM-6PM) - Unloading Day***
*Time for loading varies and it is possible loading day may go past 5pm. Loading day is mandatory to attend as there is additional preparation needed on your pieces before being placed into the kiln. If you cannot stay for the whole day, please let us know beforehand so we can prioritize getting your pieces prepared earlier in the day.
** Firing shifts are 6 hours long. Because firing a wood kiln is a community effort, it is mandatory for each participant to sign up for a shift. Shift times will be communicated on the first day of the workshop.
*** Unloading day is not mandatory, however it is recommended for participants to attend to get the full experience of a wood firing. For participants who cannot attend loading day, staff will bring the pieces back to the studio for pick up at a later time
Tim Carlson
My work explores the intersection of materials science and traditional ceramic practice, with a focus on how clay and kiln atmosphere shape the final surface. I’m drawn to the unpredictability of wood firing—how flame, ash, and heat collaborate over time to reveal textures and colors that can’t be replicated by other means. Each piece is a record of that journey.
In this workshop, We’ll guide participants through kohiki slab-building techniques designed for dynamic interaction with the wood kiln environment. My approach emphasizes form and surface preparation, informed by a deep understanding of clay bodies, thermal behavior, and ceramic chemistry. I believe that when artists grasp the science behind their craft, they gain powerful new tools for expression.
Wood firing is inherently communal, and I’m excited to share this experience with fellow makers—stoking the kiln, swapping stories, and watching the fire transform our work