BEACH FIRING
TAMU-CC Beach, FreeImages here: https://photos.tamucc.edu/Events/Events-By-Year/2024/100624-Oso-Bay-Biennial-Ceramic-Beach-Firing
I MADE SOMETHING OUT OF CLAY FOR THE FIRING, WHAT DO I DO NOW?: Be
sure that the ceramic work you bring for pit firing is small and already bisque. Try to
keep the size of your piece to 5.5 inches in any direction. We have materials at
TAMUCC to share if you prepare your piece for firing with us. If you are familiar with pit firing and come with work already prepared for the pit, we welcome that too.
I DIDN'T MAKE A POT, BUT I LOVE FIRE AND CLAY: You don’t necessarily need
clay work in the pit firing to be part of the action. If you want to see things set on fire
and burning, we invite you to come out! Participants under 18 must be accompanied
by an adult and stay at least 7 feet from the firing pit while it burns. Once the pit is cool,we welcome participants to help recover and clean pieces that have been transformed.
DO I NEED TO STAY THE ENTIRE TIME?: Although we’d love everyone to stay and
hang out with us all day, it isn’t necessary. Work left behind will be gathered and taken to the TAMUCC Center for the Arts Building and put in the Ceramics area. If you don’t live far, you may retrieve work between October 7th &11th. If you live further away and don’t mind donating what is left behind, the TAMUCC Student Art Association will gladly accept your work to sell at one of their events to raise money for student-centered interests.
WHAT IF MY CLAY WORK BREAKS?: Hopefully, you already know that the potential
for breakage is ever-present in ceramics. Please, be aware that pit-firing presents
certain risks to objects burning in a pile. The professor and other participants running pits for Oso Bay, Oh, So Ceramic! will do our best to account for all work, doublechecking that as much as possible makes it unscathed from the pit and back into the TAMUCC clay area. If you want to be sure that you get back what you put in, we invite you to be at the pits for the final gathering of all finished work at the end of the event.
I'M COMING OUT! WHAT DO I NEED TO WEAR AND BRING:
1. Plastic and other synthetic materials will stick to the skin when they catch fire and
melt, continuing to burn whatever they stick to. Please don't wear anything that would expose your body to danger. Closed-toe, leather, or other natural material shoes keep your legs and feet safe from hot coals on the ground and flying sparks. Wear natural fiber materials on your torso and arms as well.
2. Pit crew participants must be 18 years or older. All pit participants will wear PPE
such as eye protection and gloves when applicable. Everyone is invited to watch from 7 feet and further away. Bring a chair so you can sit comfortably as you observe. We will not be able to bring chairs from TAMUCC classrooms. Chairs should be portable and easy to transport up and down a slight incline in sand.
3. If you plan to stay at the firing pits for 30 minutes or longer, please bring a container of cool water for drinking, a hat to protect your head and skin from the sun, sunblock, and bug spray. If you want to bring lunch or snacks, please do so. Just pack wrappers and other garbage to take with you as you leave. Thank you!
WHO'S RUNNING THIS THING?: TAMUCC’s ceramics professor, Leandra Urrutia, will
run this event with colleagues and students.
Please join us. We'd love to have you! Questions? Send a message.