High-Fire Hawaii's ceramics studio is located near our home on the Hamakua Coast of the Big Island Of Hawaii. Perched on the slope of a cinder cone which marks the east rift zone of Mauna Kea (13,796 feet), with a clear view of the current volcanic activity at Kilauea, our studio is an appropriate site for creating art from earth and fire.

Our open-air facility is nestled in a lush tropical setting on land that has supported 6 generations of our family. Beyond our personal history, in ancient times the surrounding area was the site of a sacred bamboo grove. Our cinder cone was referred to as a "hill of prayer" and recognized as a place where the souls of the dead departed this world. Ancient battles were fought in the fields surrounding our studio - the bones of the warriors still lie hidden in the deep volcanic soil.

We are offering a limited number of classes in hand-building and wheel throwing at our Big Island studio. In order to maximize the level of attention we can provide to each student space is very limited.

We are proud of the land and the history that encompass our studio. We find inspiration in the natural beauty and cultural legacy that surround us and we strive to incorporate this inspiration in all our work.

At High-Fire Hawaii we fire our work in a gas-fired updraft kiln we constructed ourselves to meet our specific needs. The majority of our pieces are fired to Cone 10 (2350 degrees Fahrenheit) in a reduced atmosphere. Firing in reduction is a process in which the kiln is deprived of oxygen at a critical point in the firing. This forces the intense combustion to strip oxygen molecules from the metallic oxides present in many of the glazes. The finished piece exhibits variations in color and depth that range from subtle to dramatic. Our careful attention to the selection of glaze, clay body and process results in exceptional examples of ceramic art.

Our work is strongly influenced by the natural environment of our volcanic island and its history. Although archaeological records indicate that early Polynesians created pottery in the Western Pacific, the Hawaiians do not have a ceramic tradition. The Hawaiian Islands are too young (our island is approximately 500,000 years old) to have developed the proper clay for ceramic work. The Hawaiians worked in wood and stone to create domestic and artistic pieces. Because of this, our ceramic work is strongly influenced by Asian traditions that came to the islands with later immigrants from Japan, China, and Korea. We are particularly inspired by the traditional wood-fired techniques of Japan that yield pieces that are reminiscent of the natural product of our island's volcanoes.

Although the ancient Hawaiians were unable to produce ceramic pieces they had a deep respect for the volcanic forces that shaped Hawaii. The Hawaiians recognized Pele, the goddess of fire that dwelled within the volcanoes, as the creative source that gave birth to the islands. At High-Fire Hawaii we endeavor to create pieces that speak to the influences, both past and present, which define our island home.