Two years ago, Tabor Academy art department faculty member Kevin Arnfield (Ceramics, Art History) received a Braitmayer Fellowship from Tabor to research, design and construct a 50-cubic foot wood-fired kiln. Mr. Arnfield’s project, much more complicated and involved than he anticipated, took nearly two years to complete and ended up involving a range of people from the Tabor community and beyond. Tabor art faculty, students, trustees, alumni, and people from the local community came together, either in the work of constructing and preparing the kiln or in the work of filling the kiln with ceramics to be fired. The inaugural firing of the kiln in October 2014 was a great success and produced very promising results.
During the first two weeks of February, the gallery in the Braitmayer Art Center will feature an exhibition entitled Wood Fire: Kiln, Art & Community – Ceramics from a Pre-Industrial Technology curated by Mr. Arnfield. The exhibition will address the history and aesthetics particular to wood-fired ceramics and the design and construction of his kiln. It will also address the value of labor and community work inherent in the wood firing process. A selection of ceramics from the 300+ pieces fired in inaugural kiln firing will be on view side by side with a number of important pieces of wood fired art pottery from local collections.
The public is invited to the opening reception of this exhibition on February 6 in the Braitmayer Art Center at Tabor Academy from 6:30 to 7:30 pm.