Fire your work with the potters of Seagrove, NC

Join the Woodfire Pre-Conference May 17-21, 2025

Pre-Conference Tickets are SOLD OUT!

Please email contact@woodfirenc.com to be put on our waitlist.

Experience tours, contribute work to wood kiln firings, participate in firing shifts and other special events with Seagrove area artists and their guests.  Participants can customize their pre-conference schedule based on the firings they decide to contribute work for. Pre-Conference attendees may attend all firings, but are asked to choose up to 2 Seagrove Artist wood firings to include personal work in.

Special Bonus Firing: Every Pre-Conference attendee is also invited to contribute work for and join David Stuempfle’s Saggar Firing on May 21!

See info on Pre-Conference Firings below.

Pre-Conference attendees must also register for the Main Conference. “Pre-Conference only” tickets will not be available.

Pre-Conference Firings

Select two firings to contribute work to. Guests must register to the pre-conference to participate.

Special Bonus Firing: Every Pre-Conference attendee is also invited to contribute work for and join David Stuempfle’s Saggar Firing on May 21!

This is in addition to the two firings of your choice.

Anne Pärtna of Blue Hen Pottery - FULL

Kiln Description:  Firing in Bourry-box kiln for about 24 hours with an overnight shut down. Small amount of salt will be used at the end of firing.

May 18: last day to accept pots. Possibility to glaze pots with limited glaze options at Blue Hen. Wadding will be provided.

May 19: loading the kiln, preheat with wood until 9pm

May 20: Firing 6am - until finished (about 11pm)

Must be cone 10 clay, must be bisque

Up to 10 participants. 5 pieces max. No plates over 11” please. Max height 12”.

Michael & Levi Mahan at From the Ground Up Pottery - FULL

Saturday May 17th & Sunday May 18th, to accept pots and sign up for shifts

Loading: Monday, May 19th

Firing: Tuesday, May 20th – Wednesday, May 21th

Kiln Description: Firing in a Manabigama kiln, woodfired for 36 hours, for ash and flashing effects

8 participants, 2 pieces per person - no plates, 12” high or less

Must be cone 10 clay

Fred Johnston of Johnston & Gentithes - FULL

Sunday, May 18th, last day to accept pots

Loading: Tuesday May 20th

Firing: Wednesday May 21st

Kiln Description: Trench kiln used to produce smoke and wood trace elements effects similar to those produced by indigenous peoples

3 pieces per person - 12 ins or less, no plates

You do not have to have pots in the kiln to participate in the firing

Raku clay is best suited for this kind of firing

Travis Owens of Jugtown Pottery - FULL

Jugtown will fire their Groundhog Kiln for the pre-conference. This kiln will take around 5-6 hours to load and the firing will last around 16-17 hours. We will salt the kiln lightly at the end, as most of the pots will be glazed. Jugtown will offer a few glazes for participants to choose from. A short window for glazing your pots will be scheduled in the morning before kiln loading.

We will accept pots on Sunday, May 18, load on Monday, May 19 and fire on Tuesday, May 20.

We can accommodate 6 participants. Each participant can send three pots; two mug sized pieces and one larger piece that can be up to 8” tall.

Pieces should be bisque fired before arriving at Jugtown, and made of a clay that can take cone 9-11.

Kate Waltman of The Triangle Studio - FULL

Accept Pots, sign-up for shifts on Saturday, May 17. Accept pots, sign up for shifts, loading, and overnight candle preheat Sunday, May 18.

Firing starts Monday, May 19 night with a gentile pre-heat, Tuesday preheat continues, Tuesday raising temperature, complete firing with salting Wednesday evening.

Kiln Description: Flame shaped anagama-style kiln, fired for ash and salt effect, well suited for slipware

2-3 people per shift, 6 hour shifts

6 pots per person, - 12” high or less

8 participants with pots maximum, no requirement to put pots in the kiln to participate and everyone is invited to visit during the firing.

Cone 9-13 clay, no runny glazes, no glazes provided 

Takuro & Hitomi Shibata of Studio Touya - FULL

Sunday, May 18th: Accepting pots

Monday, May 19th: Loading/ Pre-heating

Tuesday, May 20th: Firing

Wednesday May 21st: Open House

Kiln Description: During the pre-conference, we will fire the salt chamber of our wood kiln. The salt chamber is designed to operate independently and has been fired 50 times since its construction in 2009. It is about 50 cubic feet of stacking space. The firing process will last between 24 to 36 hours. We plan to add a small amount of salt towards the end of the firing.

6 participants, 3 pieces per person, no plates, 12" high or less

Must be cone 10+ clay, must be bisque

Thank you to Windgate Foundation, Uwharrie Bank, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, Montgomery County Tourism & Development Authority, Insurance Associates of the Triad, & Standard Ceramic Supply for their support of this conference.