Upper School Students Create 3D Art Sculptures Using Ancient ‘Pit Firing’ Technique

The unit was an experiential art history lesson for students who could see how ancient civilizations made various tools and artwork using this technique.
In a unit that was part art creation, part art history, students in the Upper School’s AP 3D art and post-AP 3D art classes used an ancient “pit firing” technique to create ceramic sculptures.

The 12 students went to Doheny State Beach with art teachers Jesse Standlea and Phillip Griswold and “baked” their sculptures in one of the beach’s fire pits. Pit firing is a technique that dates back thousands of years and is the oldest known method for firing pottery.

“While there are more efficient and consistent ways to fire ceramics today, the pit-firing process creates uniqueness in the art that can’t be replicated in an electric kiln,” Mr. Standlea said. “Plus, it’s a great experiential art history lesson for our students, as they can see how ancient civilizations made various tools and artwork using this technique.”

The students created ceramic sculptures at St. Margaret’s, then briefly fired them at a low temperature in the school’s kiln and applied a homemade Terra sigillata slip to strengthen the art before the pit fire. Once at Doheny, the fire pit was lined with stones and organics before the sculptures were placed inside the hole with newspaper layered on top.

A large woodpile was constructed on top of that, which was ignited. The resulting flames and the ensuing coal bed vitrified the clay, and each art piece had a unique and unpredictable look and coloring influenced by the fire’s fuel and the flames itself.

Afterward, students finished the project by applying a coat of clear acrylic or varnish to fully seal the ceramic.

During the process, Mr. Standlea and Mr. Griswold shared further insight into the history of pit firing with students. There is evidence of humans using the technique as far back as 25,000 BC. It was widely practiced among the ancient Greeks and Romans, who would create pottery and other practical tools using this method.

Pit firing became an alternative practice after the emergence of the quicker and more predictable electric kiln. Still, with its ancient roots and unique results, the pit firing method has endured.

“Pit firing is an unpredictable process,” Mr. Standlea said. “We have an exceptional group of art students who did an amazing job creating their work. We were fortunate to have no pieces break, and we came away with sculptures that had magnificent colors.”
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