Pottery Making Fun。Spring Kiln, Sanyi

To start up this post, we would like to wish you happy holidays and thank you all for your continued support to Wandering Taiwan. We received another award as the co-winner of the peer-judged Best Travel Taiwan Blog Award through Taiwanderful 2010. We also would like to thank those of you who have recommended Wandering Taiwan. Your recommendations, comments, and readings of the posts have motivated us doing our best! Best holiday wishes to you all!~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

取一團陶土放在轆轤的轉盤上，隨著手的輕壓與慢推，陶土逐漸成型，或寬或窄、或高或矮，無論是杯是碗，因為是自己親手做的，所以特別喜歡。這天，我在三義的春田窯，與一群好友一塊享受著玩陶的樂趣……

Put a piece of clay on a turntable by pressing or pushing it with hands gently. Whether it was a cup or a bowl, wide or narrow, tall or short, it was a handmade product and I like them all. On that day, I came here with a group of friends to Sanyi, Spring Kiln, to enjoy the fun of pottery making.

一塊塊陶片隨風轉動著，模樣十分的樸拙可愛，讓初來乍到的我，對這裡產生了莫名的期待。

The clay wind charm looks very simple and lovely. Once I arrived here, I expected to see more.

「瓦斯窯改造的柴窯」

The firewood kiln was converted from a gas kiln

為了能夠燒製出符合自己心中的陶器，窯主花了三年時間將瓦斯窯改造成柴窯。柴窯不僅費時費力，薪柴的消耗量大，還有著許多不可控制的變數，因此燒製作品的成本及失敗率都很高。但用柴窯燒製陶器時，木柴燃燒後的灰燼會與陶土裡的礦物產生化學變化，而產生自然的落灰釉，其樸質耐看的質感讓許多陶藝家著迷不已。

In order to meet the expectation, the kiln owner spent 3years to convert a gas kiln to a firewood kiln. The potteries made from a firewood kiln require more times and consume a large amount of wood. In addition, uncontrollable variables make the products with high failure rates. However, the ash from the burned firewood can create chemical reaction with minerals in the clay and produce a natural ash glaze. The texture of the clay from the firewood kiln appeals to many pottery artists.

在商品展示販售區內，可以同時看到柴窯（左）與瓦斯窯（右）所燒製出來的成品。有著自然落灰紋理的陶杯，顯得更加的溫潤敦厚。

In the gift shop, we can see the products made from a firewood kiln (left) and gas kiln (right). With the natural ash glaze, the clay cup from the firewood kiln turns out thicker and sturdier.

[具有茶則功能的茶罐，相當的有創意！]

The tea jar lid can also be used as a spoon, very creative!

[幾可亂真的蝸牛]

It almost looks like a real snail.

參觀完窯場及欣賞完各式陶作品後，接下來就是拉胚體驗。老師熟稔的整土、定中心，然後詳細的解說塑形的各種技法。陶土在老師的巧手下，一會化做杯，一會兒又變成碗，看起來簡單又快速，大家看了都雀雀欲試。

After we saw the kiln and the products, the embryo drawing activity was next. The instructor demonstrated each process carefully. The clay suddenly became a cup, and suddenly turned into a bowl in instructor’s hands. It looks pretty simple and fast, and we could not wait to try it ourselves.

每個人想做的東西都不一樣，有人想要做一只茶杯，有人想要一個可以泡泡麵的大碗，而我則想要一個適合養水生植物的陶器皿。每個人都「玩」得很認真，一心一意想把心裡所想的樣子給慢慢塑造成形出來。

We all had different plans in mind. Someone wanted to make a tea cup, someone else wanted a bowl for the instant noodle, and I wanted to make a pot for the water plant. We all serious in “making” and wanted to make product based on what we had planned in mind.

「定中心」是所有步驟最難的一段，而塑形則沒有我想像中的困難。我喜歡看著陶土隨著我的手所輕施的壓力緩緩變化，心裡會覺得特別的沈靜。

“To set a center” was the hardest part, but to make it in shape was not as hard as I thought. I enjoyed watching the clay changing its shape by pressing it gently with my hands. I felt very peaceful at that time.

作品排排站，猜猜看哪一個是我(Kristen)做的?

Here are all the products! Let’s guess which one was made by me? (Kristen)

完成作品，再選擇自己喜歡的釉色（有棕、黃、藍、紫及綠等顏色）便算完成，接下來就是等集體窯燒後宅配到府了。真讓人期待窯燒後，它會變成什麼模樣呢！

After they were made, we picked the colors we liked (brown, yellow, blue, purple and green…so on) and sent them to the kiln. They would be shipped to our homes after several days. I was looking forward to seeing mine and wondering what it would actually look like!

春田窯內到處可以見到陶花器，欣賞陶器皿與植物所組成的小小風景，也是來此的一大收穫。

All kinds of flower vases can also be seen in the Spring Kiln Park. Enjoying the small scenery of the pot and plants was another treat from this trip!

Spring Kiln Leisure Park website Read More