Waiohiki Wood Firing Group

03/06/2026

Beautiful shots of our little kiln community courtesy of
You captured that glow so well 😍🔥

26/05/2026

🔥ARTIST SPOTLIGHT🔥

Gaeleen Morley

First up in a series of spotlights on our woodfire artists -

"For over five decades, clay has been both my livelihood and my language. My journey began with wheel-thrown domestic ware, fired in a brick diesel kiln in my garden— a rhythm that sustained me for 50 years. Today, I work at a slower pace, allowing time for reflection and experimentation, while remaining deeply committed to the tactile honesty of handmade pottery.
Eighteen years ago, I discovered the transformative power of wood firing. This ancient process, with its unpredictability and elemental dialogue, captivated me. I became involved with the Waiohiki kiln and have had the privilege of firing alongside remarkable potters such as Maureen Allison, Janet Smith, and Greg Barron. The communal nature of these firings— the shared labor, the anticipation, and the serendipity of flame—continues to inspire me. With the addition of John Gisborne's smaller kiln on the Waiohiki site, we now look forward to our sixth firing in December 2025.
My current focus lies in glaze simplicity and material authenticity. I strive to create glazes using no more than three chemicals—often just two—embracing the challenge of restraint. After Cyclone Gabrielle in February 2023, I collected silt from six different locations, integrating it with wood ash and local clay. These natural materials, shaped by time and weather, bring a sense of place and narrative to each piece. The results are never entirely predictable, and that is their beauty.
Recent work includes tea bowls glazed with ash and salt, placed on the bag wall of the kiln. Two were pushed into the ash pit by enthusiastic stokers, a gesture that left them marked by fire and chance. These accidents remind me that pottery is a collaboration between maker, material, and flame—a conversation rather than a command.
My practice is rooted in curiosity and respect for process. Each piece carries the story of its making: the clay's origin, the glaze's chemistry, the kiln's temperament, and the hands that tended the fire. In this way, my work seeks to honor both tradition and the unpredictable poetry of nature."

22/12/2025

Right in Waiohiki Creative Arts Village you'll find John Gisbornes studio and gallery.
Along with his own work he has a range of other artists including
Annette Bull
Morag Shaw .shaw
Vanessa Carlesso Bortignon .spoglie
Marco Maculan .sculptures
Louis Kittleson
Corrine Barrons
Chloe Foster

21/12/2025

21/12/2025

First in a series of posts of where to find work by our wood stoke team!

Annette Bull, Gaeleen Morley and Chloe Foster have pieces available at Tennyson Street Gallery

16/12/2025