I never thought my interest in Japanese pottery would lead me to Iowa.
That's exactly where I was last week, though, for the Different Stokes international wood-fired ceramics conference. Ceramists from around the world converged on the small college town of Iowa City for the four-day affair, which featured various speeches and breakout discussion groups as well as an invitational exhibition at the university's museum.
Wood-firing is usually done in a noborigama (chambered climbing kiln) or an anagama (single-tunnel kiln). So many Western potters now use an anagama that it has become part of their jargon.