Anastasia Speer is a Potter, Educator, and Creative.
About Anastasia
Anastasia’s first foray into clay began as somewhat of an accident in 2009. When registering for her first year of high school classes, she was placed into Ceramics to fill her art credit. This unexpectedly sparked a lifelong interest into creating with clay, and chasing after the perfect expression of art and function.
She went on to pursue her BFA in Ceramics from the University of South Dakota, where she connected deeply with her craft at every part of the process. It was there that she had her first experience with atmospheric firings and fell in love with the ability to be even further connected with her craft. After graduating from USD in 2016, she went on to receive her M. Ed in Art Education from the University of Minnesota in 2018, and knew that she wanted to create a career for herself in pottery.
Anastasia creates functional pottery that sparks visual, tactile, and emotional connection. She believes that there is something special about the relationship between people and pottery, and that the intimate moments of morning coffee, family dinners, or special occasions are where those connections can truly shine.
These days, you can find Anastasia teaching pottery workshops at the Minnetonka Center for the Arts, along with creating her own work in the studio on a regular basis. When she is not working with clay, you can find her at home spending time with her partner and their pets, tending to her houseplants and garden, or working on a variety of home projects.
What are Atmospheric Firings?
Atmospheric firings are firings in which the atmosphere inside of the kiln produces the surface results on the pottery inside. This atmosphere is directly controlled by choices the potters make in the additions of fuel, oxygen, and other additives throughout the process. The amount of fuel and oxygen used by the potters is ever changing at each stage of the firing and gives potters an opportunity to be more directly connected to their craft and process.
Anastasia primarily works with Wood and Soda firings. In a Wood firing, the fuel source for the kiln is wood. As the wood burns and breaks down, the wood ash entering into the atmosphere of the kiln creates the glaze on the outside of the pots. In a Soda firing, the fuel source for the kiln is gas. When the kiln reaches the right temperature near the end of the firing, potters introduce a mixture of soda ash and sodium bicarbonate into the atmosphere. This soda solution binds with the silica in the clay body and creates a beautiful glaze on the outside of the pieces. In both cases, while the fuel, oxygen, and additives are directly controlled by the potters involved, the process still gives somewhat unpredictable, but undeniably beautiful results.
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“Unlike other artists, I get to play with fire. Having a dragon breathe on my work has its pitfalls, but it affords me unending surprises.”
- Gareth Mason, contemporary Ceramicist