CHESTER NEALIE

I started using wood firing sixty-five years ago to smoke my fish in a smoke-box type ‘kiln’. It involved similar processes as my pottery kiln firings although not to the same temperature. Wood firing is a natural process using just wood and unforced air. After firing, the pots are left with the story of the passage of flame and ash through the kiln leaving a unique surface on the ceramics. 

Born Rotorua New Zealand. Initial training, 1964, working with Shoji Hamada, Takeichi Kawai and Michael Cardew in New Zealand. 1978, built anagama kiln after seeing woodfiring in Shigaraki and Bizen in Japan. Has lectured, built kilns and conducted many firings in New Zealand, Australia, Japan, USA, Korea, Norway, China and France. Exhibited widely in solo and group shows since 1964 in Australasia and overseas. Represented in public and private collections in Australia and internationally including, Australian National Gallery, Canberra ACT; Bendigo Art Gallery Victoria; Powerhouse Museum, Sydney NSW; Shepparton Art Museum Victoria; FuLe Australasian Ceramics Museum, Fuping, China; Yongin City Ceramics Collection, Korea; Utah State University Museum and Art Gallery, Utah, USA. Awards include, twice winner of the Fletcher Challenge International Potters Premier Award. Publications: articles published and featured in numerous books and magazines worldwide. Member of the International Academy of Ceramics. Maintains continuous potting practice for almost fifty years.