Blackware has been produced and prized in a number of places at various times in history. It has a captivating quality that is difficult to describe. Through reading and experimenting, Kurt Wild taught himself to make exceptionally fine blackware. He also discovered a way to create unique gold and copper colored effects. He enjoys decorating the pots and the spell of the fire.
Primitive potters hand built their pots. Wild uses a potter's wheel. Other than a few variations in firing, the processes he uses are quite similar to primitive methods. Once formed, the piece is allowed to partially dry. Its bottom is trimmed and the entire surface is burnished by hand with a polished rock or spoon. After drying, the pot is coated with a fine grained liquid clay called terra sigillata. Gently buffing with a soft cloth produces a shine. Decoration, which appears dull on the finished piece is hand painted on the polished surface. Complete air drying is necessary before the pots can be fired.
Wild experimented with some of the earliest known methods of primitive firing and adapted some for his own use. He devised a drum-in-a-drum "kiln" for wood or gas firing. Pots are stacked in the inner drum and firing is done in the space between the walls of the two drums. At first, the fire is kept small, to slowly drive out the moisture. This gentle fire warms the pot for about forty-five minutes. Over the next half hour, the fire is gradually increased. Temperatures can range from a low of 1275 degrees to a high of 1650 degrees Fahrenheit. When the desired temperature is reached, sawdust is thrown in with the pots, and the drum is covered to trap the smoke. The smoke penetrates and blackens the pots. They need only fifteen minutes of smoking before cooling in the open air, but are often left to cool in the sawdust to prevent cracking. The entire process takes one and one-half hours. The firing is fast and simple. Keen judgement is required, however, for pots can blow up from too fast a firing, or crack from too rapid cooling.
Care in the handling and use of blackware or blackware with metallic lusters is important. These pieces are very low fired earthenware, physically fragile, unglazed, not resistant to scratching, porous and not waterproof. They are made for decorative use and should be kept from contact with water. Wild treats his pieces with tung oil for protection. An occasional dusting with a soft cloth is all that is needed to maintain their beauty.
