1. Ceramics & Advanced Ceramics Mr. Martin Project One
Kiln god
Ceramics & Advanced Ceramics
Mr. Martin
Project One

2. High School Arts Content Standards
1.0 Artistic Perception
1.5 Analyze the material used by a given artist and describe how its use influences the meaning of the work.
2.0 Creative Expression
2.1 Solve a visual arts problem that involves the effective use of the elements of art and principles of design.

3. What is a Kiln god?
Serving as charms or talismans, kiln gods are meant to guard against any kind of bad luck that might happen.
Kiln gods are traditionally made out of raw or fired clay and placed over the entrance to the kiln.

4. What is a Kiln god?
In Playing with fire and kiln Gods, Martie Geiger-Ho explains why she is so driven to make ceramics.
“There are many reasons why American ceramists make kiln gods, however, I believe that, like myself, most ceramists make kiln guardians as a means for helping to relieve stress and to dispel the anxiety caused by the difficulty of trying to control the outcome of a ceramic firing. For me the process of ceramics has always seemed magical and I have never had a firing I could totally control, including electric kiln firings. This seems to be the case for most ceramists and I imagine that this is why so many different cultures from around the world have developed some sort of kiln god mythology as a way of coping with the insecurities that come with making and firing ceramics.”

5. Kiln god History
Chinese cities such as Jingdezhen and Hong Kong, which either have or once supported a ceramics industry, kiln gods are worshipped and honored as important deities that help to protect the welfare of the entire ceramic community.
Kiln gods can be found in the traditions of many ancient cultures including the Chinese (Tung- the god of fire) and the Egyptian (Khun- protector of all things made on the wheel) cultures.

6. Kiln god History
The story is a tale about a benevolent potter who honorably sacrificed himself in the flames of a ceramic kiln in order to save the emperor's huge ceramic vessels from firing imperfections and in turn his fellow craftsmen from an unjust punishment, which they would have surely suffered, because the emperor's command for the production of the massive porcelain water jars was a task that was technically impossible to carry out.

7. Current Kiln god news
There is even a National Kiln God Show every year!!!
The judges look for different and unique kiln gods, all of the entries are of superior workings and techniques.
The winning pieces are the ones that reflect the artistic and whimsical aspect of the kiln god.

8. Kiln god Requirements Your Kiln god needs to be 3-d.
Your Kiln god needs to be at least 2 inches wide and 3 inches tall
Your Kiln god needs to be a creature of some sort.
Your Kiln god needs to stand without support.

9. Kiln god
Some examples:

10. Kiln god
Some examples:

11. Kiln god
Some examples:

12. Kiln god

13. Kiln god
THIN PIECES BREAK!!!

14. Kiln gods from National Show

15. Kiln gods from National Show

16. Kiln gods from National Show

17. Kiln gods from National Show

18. Kiln gods from National Show

19. Kiln god
THIN PIECES BREAK!!!

20. Kiln god ideas

21. Assignment ~ Review ~ Your Kiln god needs to be 3-d.
Your Kiln god needs to be at least 2 inches wide and 3 inches tall
Your Kiln god needs to be a creature of some sort.
Your Kiln god needs to stand without support.