More than 20 years after the first woodfired kiln was constructed at the University of Minnesota Morris, a new woodfired soda kiln will be constructed on campus later this year, thanks to a grant from the Windgate Foundation.
According to Associate Professor of Studio Art Jason Ramey, the new kiln will provide an entirely new firing process to the current curriculum, soda firing. Soda firing is a technique where sodium is introduced into the kiln environment at approximately 2,200 °F. The soda vaporizes and is carried on the flame throughout the kiln. The soda combines with the silica, alumina, iron, and other elements in the surface of the wares to produce a glazed or flashed surface.
The kiln and a new building to protect it will be constructed in the fall near the spot of the original woodfired kiln, on the northeast edge of campus next to the horse pasture. Ramey anticipates that students and regional potters will participate in the first firing in late October, 2026.
In addition to the kiln, the $90,000 grant includes funding to replace an aging light table in the printmaking studio. Ramey says the new screen printing exposure unit features long-lasting LED lighting, which allows for precise and efficient screen printing, while cutting down exposure times.
The grant will also fund other studio upgrades, including new cabinets and storage and organization solutions, as well as a new sink in the ceramics studio.
This is the third grant Ramey and UMN Morris have received from the Windgate Foundation. In 2024, an $80,000 grant funded the safety upgrade and replacement of aging equipment, including a printmaking press, gas kiln, ceramics glaze mixing tables, and ventilation for the printmaking, ceramics, and woodworking studios. In 2019, UMN Morris received $75,000 to purchase and install industrial grade woodworking machinery and European style woodworking benches.
About the Windgate Foundation
The Windgate Foundation has been supporting contemporary craft and visual arts for over 25 years. Learn more at windgatefoundation.org