Participants from the Bega Valley Potters took part in a free-form pottery workshop, then fired their creations in a paper kiln they built themselves.

Rachael Annabel said a bamboo ti-pi frame was filled with cane mulch, horse poo, seaweed, pea straw and bits of metal then covered with pages of Vogue dipped in slurry to form a papier-mache coating.

Why Vogue?

Apparently the quality of the paper used is better for making a kiln to burn!

The simple pots and free-form objects were placed in the middle of all that combustible material and the hand-made kilns set alight.

“It seemed like a good idea at the time and it was fun,” Ms Annabel said.

“There was a great smoke effect and after the whole thing dried and solidified we lifted the [burnt] shells off to expose the results.”

The potters group thanked Bendigo Bank for its support of the workshop.

Ms Annbel said another ceramic workshop will be held on June 14 to create postcards ahead of the Plethora of Postcards annual exhibition later this year.

It’s for everyone from nine years to 90. Book now at Spiral Gallery.