World-Fire Update: Cooling Off and Unloading

By: Angel Sarris

The University of Montevallo’s art department lit its 40-foot-long Anagama kiln last Tuesday to mark the beginning of the World-Fire event.

Artists from around the world participated in the baking of their ceramic pieces over the span of 5 days.

Anagama kiln means “cave kiln” in Japanese. It is an ancient kiln used for baking pottery.

Dr. Scott Meyer, a 37th year art professor at UM, built the kiln in 2000. It has been fired 26 times since its completion in 2002.

“I’m a ceramic artist and teacher, so I have work in there. My students have work in there. My dear friends do, so there’s multiple layers to the meaning of this event to me,” says Dr. Meyer.

This event gives students involved a rare opportunity to utilize and operate this ancient type of kiln and to connect with artists across the country.

The kiln is currently in the cooling off stages. This happens after the fire is put out and the kiln cools from the thousand-degree temperatures. The unloading process will happen Saturday at 1 p.m. The event will be live streamed on the MontevalloForYou YouTube page which is linked below.

https://www.youtube.com/@MontevalloForYou