I have always had a fascination with fire, but hopefully in a good way! I love an open fire in winter and sitting around a camp fire in the Summer and the the smell of smoke that hangs in the air afterwards. When I discovered the technique of smoke firing in an open container, I found my happy place! I have spent many hours painting pictures in the sunshine with the smoke, as it carbonises the surface of my pots.
Here is a short film I made of the process back in the Autumn. It was a still day - wind is never ideal as it stokes up the fire and heats up the pots too quickly and unevenly which often end in casualties and cracked pots. I add a small amount of white spirit to the sawdust which is made up of soft and hard woods - these give slightly different effects to the overall finish. The pot is placed on sand and the sawdust is positioned on the surface of the pot and lit, this is repeated until I am satisfied with how it looks. Finally, I apply bees wax while the pot is still warm and give the pots a polish with a lint free cloth. This is all done in my back garden in Brighton, I just have to remember to bring the washing in!