Flame:

CMAEP hosts six to ten woodfire workshops annually. Abundant fuel sources along with lots of labor are key factors to maintaining these educational wood-firing experiences. Resident Artists work closely with Scott to manage wood harvesting, processing and assist with firing workshops.

Woodfire Resident Lucas Shick:

“It’s been so beautiful seeing the life cycle

and doing fire mitigation. I really enjoy the time

spent in the forest as a community collecting that wood and having a more intimate relationship with the fuel…”

Quantity of wood required varies depending on which kiln(s) are being fired. The largest kiln, the Anagama, is fired about twice a year. Those workshops include ten days of firing, and consume thirteen cords of hard and soft wood in the process.

Woodfire Resident Dexter Gardner:

“It gives me respect for people working

in the firewood trade. It is a lot of labor to source

all of your own wood for a 10 day firing.”

Workshops connect CMAEP to the larger regional ceramics community and foster a learning environment for workshop participants and Resident Artists.

Tending to burn pile of brush during ecology management work at CMAEP.

Embers:

All Resident Artists live on-site and working on the land at CMAEP offers a unique experience unlike any other ceramics residency experience.

Scott Parady:

“I hope that working with residents on the land

gives them experience and a greater appreciation

of what it can mean to steward a property.

For me it creates a great appreciation for the land

and human interaction with it, which has become

a guiding force in my artwork.”

The reasons artists might be drawn to spend time at CMAEP are varied and there are several residency formats including short and long term options.

Dexter Gardner:

“I saw it as a great opportunity to gain

more woodfire knowledge, and to focus on

developing work suited to woodfiring.”