Smokeless kiln, greener ceramics, one brick at a time...

Our project aims to build a smokeless kiln in a Portuguese shale village named Cerdeira. Also known as Sasukenei Smokeless Kiln, this is a woodfire kiln that produces little smoke and needs less wood than a normal one. The construction will be led by the Sensei Masakazu Kusakabe himself! For that, we need 3000 refractory bricks which will cost approximately 10 000€. With your help we can build this unique kiln that will provide many ceramists a tool that is not available in Portugal at the ...

A very special ceramic kiln!

Let's build a smokeless kiln, one brick at a time. It will be one of a kind in Portugal and a key equipment to the national artistic production in the ceramics area. We will receive in our village the Japanese pottery master Sensei Masakazu Kusakabe, who travels to the Serra da Lousã to direct the construction. This is an environmentally friendly kiln that by its own characteristics saves wood and does not pollute the air. We need the everyone's support to achieve our objective of 10 000€ and maybe surpass it in order to buy all the necessary materials.

Why use a wood kiln to fire ceramic?

This ancient technique has gained an increasing importance within the contemporary ceramic's world due to the great beauty of the pieces as well as the multiple and glassy effects it produces. Also the challenge of working with fire is an old and complex technology that calls the attention of creators all over the world. 

Portuguese ceramists do not have access to a SASUKENEI too often, and we even have the privilege of building one and learning together with Masakazu Kusakabe. There are some kilns of this kind in the world, including one in Japan, China, the US, Germany and the Czech Republic.

With the construction of this big woodfire kiln, Portuguese ceramic artists will have the perfect equipment available to reduce the consumption of firewood, since firing is accomplished in just 36 hours, allowing effects on pots that normally are only possible to achieve within 6 or more firing days.

We count on your support to make this dream a reality! THANK YOU!

Funds will be used to:

- Acquire the 3000 bricks we need to build the kiln.

In the happy event that we surpass our goal, money will be used to:

 - Buy the rest of the materials for the construction.

- Ensure the access to 8 Portuguese ceramists to the workshop with master Masakazu Kusakabe.

Desenho do forno

About the author

Why Cerdeira?

Cerdeira Art & Craft Association has its headquarters and intervention area in the shale village of Cerdeira, in the Serra da Lousã. 

We are creating an international hub for arts & crafts. In Cerdeira, Portuguese artists will have a space to make their projects a reality, specially in the scuplture and ceramics area. They will be able to learn and to teach under the programs/workshops proposed by them or by the association. We are working hard to elevate Portugal to a higher place in the crafts area and promote all the good things that are done by the hand of our national artists and craftsmen.

Budget and due dates

The event will take place in Cerdeira 13th-27th of August 2015.

We will need:

Various types of high-temperature refractory bricks (about 3000) - 10,000 €
Equipment: bobs, plates, pyrometer, refractory mortar, iron bars - 2,000 €
Screen "ceramic fiber cloth" 2.5 cm thick, width 60/70 cm and length of 6 m (will be donated by a company that will contribute to the project)
Firewood - 400 €
Participation and travel of Mr. Kusakabe - 2,000 €
Other costs (campaign promotion, photo postcard printing, sending pieces to supporters, transportation of materials) - 1,000 €
Free participation of eight Portuguese ceramists (see attached document to meet the artists!)
Deadlines: Until at least one week before the workshop, we should have in the village all materials. However, the campaign will be open to those who want to collaborate!

Thanks for your collaboration!

Images

Documents

• O que motiva os ceramistas a participar

  pdf • 265.99 KB