Learn what actually happens inside an electric kiln—from firing schedules and cones to the hands-on loading of bisque and glaze work.
This intensive is intentionally kept small so everyone has meaningful access to the kiln-loading demonstration, plenty of time for questions, and the opportunity to connect the information to their own work and firing practice.
This is a rare opportunity to spend four focused hours learning directly inside a working ceramics studio, with hands-on access to the kiln and firing process.
Why take a kiln intensive?
Kiln loading is one of those parts of ceramics that's often learned through trial and error—but the mistakes can be expensive.
A poorly planned load, misplaced piece, glaze accident, or misunderstood firing schedule can mean hours of work and materials lost. This intensive is designed to take some of that guesswork out of the process.
Rather than simply talking about kiln firing, we'll open up the kiln, work through actual loading scenarios, and examine the decisions that affect how your work fires.
Whether you're completely new to electric kilns, preparing to purchase your first kiln, or have been firing for years and want to feel more confident about your loading process, this class offers a deeper look at what happens before, during, and after a firing.
You'll leave knowing how to:
- Approach an electric kiln with confidence rather than guesswork
- Build a bisque load from start to finish
- Build a glaze load while minimizing glaze accidents
- Understand the key differences between bisque and glaze loading
- Decide how to arrange shelves and posts for different types of work
- Load tall, large, sculptural, and awkward pieces
- Make better use of limited kiln space
- Understand cones, firing schedules, and kiln controllers
- Understand how firing schedules can affect your finished work
- Identify common loading and firing mistakes before they become expensive problems
- Think through a kiln load before you ever turn the kiln on
- Troubleshoot different loading scenarios
- Ask better questions when something goes wrong
Who is this for?
This intensive is for you if:
- You've been sending your work out for firing and want to understand what happens after you drop it off.
- You're nervous about firing your own work.
You're considering purchasing an electric kiln.
- You're setting up or dreaming about a home ceramics studio.
- You've loaded kilns before but still aren't confident you're doing it correctly.
- You've experienced glaze accidents or uneven firings and want to understand why.
- You make larger or sculptural work and struggle with kiln loading.
- You want to understand how to maximize limited kiln space.
- You simply want a deeper understanding of the firing process to inform your own ceramic practice.
No previous kiln experience is required. Some familiarity with ceramics is helpful, but not necessary.
The Intensive
The workshop is divided into two parts: a lecture and discussion-based session followed by a hands-on exploration of kiln loading.
Part I: Understanding Electric Kilns
12:00–1:30 PM
We'll begin with the fundamentals of electric kiln firing, including:
- How electric kilns work and their basic components
- Understanding kiln controllers and firing schedules
- The difference between bisque and glaze firings
- Understanding cones and firing temperatures
- Kiln shelves, posts, kiln wash, and other kiln furniture
- Basic kiln safety and maintenance
- Common firing issues and how to troubleshoot them
- What to consider when purchasing or installing an electric kiln
- How firing schedules can affect your finished work
- Questions and discussion about your own firing experiences
Lunch Break
1:30–2:00 PM
We'll take a short 30-minute lunch break before moving into the hands-on portion of the workshop.
Bring your own lunch or take some time to grab something nearby.
Part II: Loading the Kiln — Bisque & Glaze
2:00–4:00 PM
We'll move from theory into practice, working through how to prepare and load an electric kiln for both bisque and glaze firings.
We'll discuss not only how to load a kiln, but why certain decisions matter.
We'll cover:
- Preparing a kiln for loading
- How to load a bisque firing
- How to load a glaze firing
- The key differences between bisque and glaze loading
- How to position work for even heat distribution
- How to make the most of your kiln space
- Proper spacing between pieces and shelves
- Loading larger, taller, or more sculptural work
- How to position glazed work to prevent glaze accidents
- Using kiln wash, cookies, stilts, and other kiln furniture
- Common loading mistakes and how to avoid them
- How to think through a kiln load before firing
- Troubleshooting different loading scenarios
There will be plenty of time for questions and discussion throughout the workshop, so you're encouraged to bring questions about your own work, kiln, or firing experiences.
