Louisiana Christian University art professor Michael Williams and the ceramics program have received grant funds to refurbish a gas kiln.
The Walker faculty development funds provided for the repair of the kiln for Williams’ development as an artist, but it is also a great opportunity for students studying ceramics.
The kiln was originally built in the mid-1990s by former ceramics professor Bob Howell.
“It’s exciting to see this piece of our department’s history come back to life,” said Assistant Professor of Art Michael Williams. “It’s a great piece of equipment, and I’m glad our students will finally get the chance to use it again.”
Dean of Media, Communication and Fine Arts Brian Manuel is equally excited to see what Williams and his students will create.
“Professor Williams is a true artist,” Manuel said. “He approached me with the desire to restore our gas kiln, and all I could say was ‘Absolutely!’ Having this tool benefits our students as well as our community at large. I cannot wait to see the art that Professor Williams will be able to create with his students.”
The kiln had been sitting unused for years and had fallen into disrepair. The burners had rusted out and were no longer usable. Thanks to the grant funding, local business Louisiana Fireplace was able to repair and restore the kiln so the university could put it back into service.
A kiln is essentially a large brick chamber used for firing ceramics. In ceramics, there are two fundamental firings. The first is the bisque firing and is generally a lower-temperature firing. We bisque to what is called cone 04, which is around 1,940° Fahrenheit. The second firing is called the glaze firing and takes place after the bisque. The glaze firing temperature ranges from cone 6–10 (2,232°–2,381° Fahrenheit).
In this stage, the clay is covered in a material called glaze, which is made up of many different raw materials that determine the color and finish of the completed piece.
As the temperature in the kiln increases, the clay changes both physically and chemically, Williams said. It transforms from porous “greenware” to vitrified ceramic, meaning that the clay particles are bonded together through the formation of glassy phases, primarily from silica, alumina, and fluxes within the clay body, resulting in increased density and making the clay waterproof. The glaze also contributes to the waterproof nature, as well as giving the piece a glassy or matte appearance.
The difference between an electric kiln and a gas kiln includes two main factors: the heat source and the atmosphere.
“In an electric kiln, the heat comes from electric elements, kind of like a toaster,” Williams said. “While in a gas kiln, the heat comes from either natural gas or propane burners (in our case, it is natural gas). The second factor is the atmosphere. The atmosphere of an electric kiln is considered an oxidation atmosphere, meaning that oxygen is available in the kiln and is not intentionally regulated, while in our gas kiln that is not the case. Our gas kiln is considered a reduction kiln, meaning that during the firing process, you reduce the amount of oxygen available in the firing chamber while simultaneously increasing the temperature.”
This creates carbon monoxide, which pulls oxygen from metal oxides within the clay and glazes, resulting in interesting reactions in the glazes that are not replicable in an oxidation atmosphere, he said.
“Having a working gas kiln expands what we can offer in our ceramics program,” Williams said. “Most of our firing has been done in electric kilns, but this gas kiln will allow students to learn reduction firing, which creates different colors and surface effects than electric firing. It’s an important process for ceramics students to experience and gives them a broader understanding of the medium. We’re really excited to revitalize this kiln after so many years and to see the new creative possibilities it will bring to our students and our program.”