Atmospheric Firings: Wood, Soda & Saggar
Unpredictable flame marks, smoky gradients, and raw, ash-kissed surfaces. These pieces are where I let the elements write their own stories on clay.
This wood-fired Kurinuki vase is a tribute to weathered rock walls. I used a groggy stoneware, various slips, and even soil from Bali to create its textured surface, which was then transformed by the kiln's flames.
This charcoal-saggar fired piece carries the memory of mountains and storms. Held in my hands, it represents a quiet revolution in my studio, proving that even with an electric kiln, atmospheric effects are possible.
These wood-fired tumblers are a lesson in letting go. The slight, intentional distortions in the form are complemented by the unpredictable beauty of the shino glaze and flame marks, creating something wholly unique.
This wood-fired piece reminds me of a mountain facade, with earthy hues of brown, yellow, and orange. The forces of fire, embers, and ash in the kiln create unique impressions, connecting the final form back to nature.
The first piece from my first-ever wood firing collection. The unglazed surface is colored only by the natural ash and minerals from the burning wood, creating one-of-a-kind patterns and flashes over two days in the kiln.
A close-up of a wood-fired sculpture, showing the rich textures and cracks that form in the intense heat. This piece was made right after a demonstration by a mentor, reminding me of how sharing knowledge fuels growth.
This saggar-fired piece, held in my hand, shows the smoky gradients and landscapes that can emerge from an electric kiln. It was a journey of learning and experimentation that reshaped the boundaries of my practice.
The charcoal-saggar fired piece that started it all. Its stormy, mountainous texture inspired me to learn how to recreate the drama of atmospheric firing in my own studio, opening up endless possibilities.
An organically shaped bowl, with a smooth black interior contrasting the raw, layered exterior created through saggar firing. This piece is a testament to the beauty that grows when curiosity meets shared knowledge.
A top-down view of a wood-fired bottle form, revealing the textures created by the flame's path. The process is a collaboration between my hands and the fire, resulting in a truly unique sculptural object.
About Atmospheric Firings: Wood, Soda & Saggar
When I fire in a wood or saggar kiln, I am not just making pottery, I am collaborating with the elements. Unlike electric kilns where I can control the outcome, these pieces emerge with flame paths and ash deposits that I could never force. If you are looking for perfect symmetry, this is not it. If you are looking for a piece that captures a specific, unrepeatable moment of nature, this collection is for you.
For a long time, I operated within the safety of electric kiln oxidation. It was reliable, clean, and consistent. But I found myself craving something wilder—the drama that happens when smoke, flame, and ash are allowed to dance through the kiln chamber.
My foray into atmospheric firing began with a question about what happens when you remove the boundary between the fire and the clay. Whether it is wood-firing, where the ash from burning wood settles on the pots to create a natural glaze, or saggar-firing, where I trap smoke and minerals around the piece, the result is never fully under my control.
Each piece here is a survivor of that process. You will see flashings of orange where the flame licked the clay, darker gradients where smoke settled, and rugged, rock-like textures that remind me of landscapes I have visited. This collection is deeply tied to my '100 Explorations' project, where I experiment with everything from local Bangalore earth to materials foraged from Coorg and Bali.
Because of the nature of these firings, these pieces cannot be mass-replicated. They are functional, but they carry a weight and a history. I often get asked if these are food-safe or durable. Yes, the high-fire stoneware bodies are durable, but their beauty lies in the marks—the intentional distortions and the ash-melted surfaces. These are pieces for people who appreciate the wabi-sabi philosophy: the idea that beauty is found in the incomplete, the imperfect, and the ephemeral.
A Ware Studio
I'm Namrata. I spent years perfecting my technique in electric kilns before I realized I was missing the wildness of atmospheric firing. Now, I balance my studio practice in Indiranagar with these deeper, messier experiments where I let the kiln do the heavy lifting.
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