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Community Gas Kiln at the Mergatroid, Vancouver, BC

Curious about reduction firing? Ceramic artists can rent cubic footage  in our community gas kiln on a fee-for-service basis. To see images from our first firing and examples of the glazes, check out our Instagram and the firing highlights at the top of the profile! We are so excited to be developing this exciting community firing program after years of planning and hard work by volunteers, board members and community members.

We are aiming to fire at least monthly so build up a stash of cone 10 bisqueware!

*Note* - our pilot program has now completed! Over ten firings we've been able to assess more accurately the true costs of firing including raw materials for glazing, how quickly glaze is consumed, the average gas costs, and purchase more comprehensive insurance. Balancing these costs while trying to keep firing as accessible as possible, the price of firing is increased to $33.50+tax/cubic foot for PGBC guild members and $40+tax/cubic foot for non-members. (What is a cubic foot of pottery? Imagine loading your pieces into the interior of a square milk crate, including posts and shelves. Things like bowls are not stacked into each other but lip to lip, rim to rim. On glazing day we can help you measure and assess.)

OCTOBER FIRING : Glazing Day and Loading on Oct 14th, Firing Oct 15th, unloading Oct 21st, 10 AM

975 Vernon Dr, Vancouver, BC

​Use this sign up to reserve a one hour time slot during which you can glaze your work.

*All glazing happens outside - we have no indoor space! Come bundled up; bring gloves, whatever you need to do! Or become a PGBC member so you can use your own glazes and just drop off your pots at the kiln instead! :)

One slot = one cubic foot of work. If you are bringing multiple cubic feet of work, please sign up for spots in sequential time slots rather than multiple spots in the same time slot. Bring bisque fired, waxed pots in a cone 10 suitable clay.

BCPG Members can bring pots with their own glazes. Non-members are limited to the glazes we provide.

All glazes are cone 10. This will be a cone 10 reduction firing. We provide six glazes to use: Carbon Trap Shino by Malcolm Davis, Chun by Robin Hopper, Celadon by Tom Buck, Soft White by Keith and Celia Rice-Jones, Tenmoku Rust, and Glossy Clear.

Participants will pay $33.50+ tax (member rate)/$40+tax (non-member rate) per cubic foot of space used in the kiln. You will be invoiced by the PGBC after the loading.

PLEASE NOTE that no one will be turned away for lack of funds. Please contact the Board of Directors at Pottersguildofbc@gmail.com for access at a reduced/pay what you can rate.

Pick up your work on October 21st at 10 am. The kiln will be opened at 10 am sharp so please arrive on time, we wrap up before 11am, and participants are encouraged to participate in the kiln opening and unloading. It is the best part of the firing!

All participants must be prepared to grind shelves and clean up after the unload. This is a communal task and an important part of the smooth running of this kiln. Please bring a mask in case shelf grinding is needed. 

If using plainsman H440 or any other clay that leaves iron speckles on kiln shelf, please WAD your work or provide COOKIES for your work. This particular clay leaves iron speckle on the kiln shelves and is a pain to grind off. We have a limited amount of wadding per firing. 

VOLUNTEERING AT THE KILN:

If you are interested in volunteering at the kiln, you can sign up for a volunteer shift here for the OCTOBER firing. It's a great way to support this community project and learn all about reduction firing.

NOVEMBER FIRING: Tentative Date Nov 4th and 5th (Volunteers needed for setup, loading, cleaning, firing)

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