GYAN DANIEL WALL
SCULPTING THE DRAGON: Building the Gayagama 2.0
May 24 - June 14, 2026
KILN BUILDING: [One Week: May 24 - 30, 2026]
Join master kiln-builder, Gyan Daniel Wall, as he demonstrates his intimate knowledge of and finesse in utilizing the ancient technique of Nubian arch construction to rebuild the Gayagama anew. The design plan may shift slightly, but— true to character—we will plan the build around the usage of handmade raw brick and the self-supporting course-work that exemplifies Gyan’s favored construction method. While the bricks will have been fabricated in advance, the attending group will be expected to actively engage in everything from honing and laying brick to stomping the insulative earth cob mixture. Hands-on, feet-on: this will be a fully immersive dive into all elements of designing and constructing a Japanese-style wood-firing “Anagama”.
MAKING & FIRING: [Two Weeks: May 31 - June 14, 2026]
Delighting in the element of serendipity and spontaneous beauty, this workshop will explore the natural glaze effects of atmospheric wood-firing in Gaya Ceramic Arts Center’s brand-newly constructed anagama : The Gayagama 2.0
Kiln-builder, Gyan Wall, will lead this “Inauguration by Fire”, sharing all his techniques and enormous knowledge of wood-firing. Participants will have an opportunity to experiment with a variety of clay bodies and slips, surface texture, and vessel shape as design factors influencing the subtle and dramatic effects of a natural ash surface. The workshop will immerse immediately in the process of making for 5 days. The kiln will be loaded directly with greenware, and then will be fired for an intense 55+ hours. Participation in every aspect will be a requisite joy. It will truly be not only a ceramics workshop, but an incredible journey through the elements-- from water, to earth, through fire, and into air, ether and beyond— and it will also be the important inauguration of the continued story of Gaya’s wood-firing tradition.
TUITION:
Week 1: Kiln Building – USD $1,500
Weeks 2–3: Making and Firing – USD $2,500
Full Experience (Weeks 1–3: Kiln Building, Making, and Firing) – USD $3,500