Why we are called "Fireborn"
The reason we chose the name Fireborn is because our pots are literally birthed in fire. The fire transforms the clay in to glassy stone, the same substance from which the clay originally came. We appreciate the concept of our work being made form recycled mountains. Below is an image of the transformative fire.
Ancient Chinese and Japanese kilns used wood. We use natural gas. But in both cases, the combustion the process is similar. Like them, we fire in a reducing atmosphere, which promotes the development of certain colors such as the celadons and copper reds. Let me explain reduction. During certain points in the firing we increase the gas and cut back on the air entering the kiln. This oxygen deprived atmosphere is called areducing atmosphere and it produces free carbon (visible as smoke). Then, hungry for oxygen, the fire breaks chemical bonds in the glazes to obtain oxygen. Chemical reactions strip oxygen from the glaze materials, especially the coloring oxides present in the glaze. These oxides are thus reduced to their metallic state. The intensity of the colors produced varies according to the percentages of oxides present, the character of the base glaze, and the amount of reduction obtained. In reduction firing, such as I do, the firing of the kiln is as much an art as it is a science.