Johanna Kiln prepares for pottery firing ceremony

Friday, Oct. 7 marks the 16th lighting of the Johanna Kiln at The Saint John’s Pottery, the first time the kiln has been fired since 2019.

Named in honor of Sister Johanna Becker, the wood-burning kiln is the largest in North America with the capacity to fire up to 12,000 pieces of pottery at a time. The pottery shed is located in the woods by Lake Watab at St. John’s. It takes a team of over 60 volunteers to keep the kiln lit during its 10-day firing, many of whom take shifts to stoke the fire during all hours of the day and night.

“This firing, in particular, is important in that it honors the memory of three artists who have had a lasting impact on the international world of wood-fired ceramics—Koie Ryoji, Chuck Hindes and Paul Krueger,” said Steven Lemke, associate director at The Saint John’s Pottery and environmental artist-in-residence at SJU. “Their legacy is very much alive in the incredible community that gathers to stoke the Johanna Kiln at SJU.”

Ryoji frequently visited the studio at SJU and was known around the world for his skills in ceramics. Krueger served as an assistant wrestling coach for the Johnnies and, through a friendship with Master Potter Richard Bresnahan, collaborated on a variety of pieces, including creating the reed handle for Bresnahan’s Gourd Teapot.

Hindes established the University of Iowa’s ceramics program, effectively paving the way for the integration of wood firing into university curriculums across the United States. Though they have all passed away since the last firing of the kiln in 2019, their expertise and legacy continue to shape the lives and artistry of everyone involved with The Saint John’s Pottery.

It takes a community of individuals to ensure the firing process is successful, something Lemke believes is one of the many things that makes The Saint John’s Pottery unique.

“Nurturing those connections across one’s personal creative development is a hallmark of this center, as is the opportunity for the CSB and SJU community and the general public to come together and join us in that experience,” Lemke said.

The studio also places a large emphasis on sustainability practices, something students are now able to take part in through the Environmental Art Internship Program. New this year, the program gives students the ability to further explore the intersections of studio art, sustainability and natural materials research.

The studio is also the only Forest Stewardship Council certified pottery studio in North America. The participants work in conjunction with the Environmental Artist-In-Residence at SJU and actively engage in mentorship and in-depth professional development through creative work, research, vocational guidance and studio assistance.

CSB junior Mahina Melim is an inaugural participant in the program. She reflected on her first visit to the studio as a sophomore enrolled in an Environmental Art and Architecture class taught by Lemke.

“Having never been to the Pottery Studio, it was during this short unit that I became very interested in the sustainable practices of the studio in general. I was extremely fascinated by the sustainable sourcing and production of clay and glaze materials,” Melim said.

This year, Melim had the unique experience of preparing the kiln to be fired, whether through splitting and loading wood or by preparing the tiles that are used as shelves when loading the unfired pieces.

The community is invited to attend the firing ceremony that will take place at 4:00 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 7, at the Pottery Studio. The ceremony will open with a brief prayer, followed by the purifying of the kiln, true to Japanese tradition. Ultimately, however, there is no guarantee how the pieces will look after being fired. That, Melim finds, is part of the appeal.

“I find the uncertainty of the end result to be quite beautiful,” Melim said.