Nancy Whittaker, Tarrangower Times

Angie Robinson has work on permanent display in the MANet Art Gallery. I needed to find out more about her beautiful ceramic pots. Way out in Walmer I walked into an Aladdin’s Cave of delight. It was actually Angie Robinson’s Scorched Earth studio set in a garden of ceramic objects, including a stand of ceramic flowers near the door. Inside was an explosion of colour from the floor tiles she made and laid, to rows of reference books and finished and partially finished ceramic objects.

Not least of which were quaint animals, hand-painted with coloured glazes and an immaculate pegboard of cutting and trimming tools,

I had gone there to find out exactly what saggar firing was after seeing her beautiful pots in the MANet Gallery in Main Street. Angie had just returned from her second Ceramic Convention, in Gulgong, NSW, where masters of ceramics from all over the world gathered. Angie attends to learn more about the exciting world of ceramics, which she is totally besotted with.

Angie has been a ceramicist for about 15 years. Before that she ran a fresh seafood shop in Castlemaine, ‘She Sells Seafood’ for nine years. Before that she was the Manager of Network Programs at Ansett Airlines for Melbourne Airport.

This involved programming the gates, which the planes go through. It is a bit of a switch to working in her studio virtually in the middle of the bush.

She started learning about ceramics when she was doing mosaics and needed little details like flowers or whatever to add interest. So, she started making them in clay and firing them in a very small kiln. Now, Angie has three kilns, an old kiln given to her by a neighbour, which she uses for her saggar firing, and a larger one which she uses for firing her students’ work.

Angie explained saggar firing, which was fascinating, particularly the weird and wonderful things she uses to obtain the beautiful colours and textures on each pot. No two pots are the same. They are all hand-built coil pots, which ensures every pot is slightly different, even before the firing. After building the pot, she then wraps the pot in foil, inside which are all sorts of unusual things, that provide the colours.

As you can see in the captions, nothing is too strange to add. Angie said that banana skins burn out to a subtle red, however she will try anything, including such weird things as Epsom salts, which provide a spotty effect, and even a pot scourer. Once the pot is securely wrapped with foil and string, she fires it in an outside kiln, which has a saggar (large clay container) to place the wrapped pot in. This is placed in the electric kiln. Then she adds a lid before closing the kiln and firing it to 950°c. As the kiln reaches high temperatures, these materials release smoke and vapour, which can interact with the ceramics. Other additives such as metallic salts, oxides or minerals can be added. These interactions lead to unique surface patterns, including smoky veils, flashes of colour, and distinctive markings.

Firing produces very toxic smoke, so Angie has to keep away until it is completed. When the kiln cools down, inside the clay container her pot is surrounded by ash that has burnt away, even the foil is reduced to ash. The outcome is always a surprise.

When the pot is cool, Angie removes it and hand finishes it by washing it and finally waxing it. The finished product is delightful to touch.

On her website Angie has written, ‘The saggar firing process is known for its element of surprise, leading to unexpected and captivating design effects that are difficult to replicate through traditional kiln firing. The saggar technique invites experimentation and fosters creativity, resulting in one-of-a-kind ceramic pieces with stunning visual appeal.’

As a local, Angie has a permanent exhibition at the Maldon Artists Network (MANet) gallery at 27 Main Street, Maldon. She also holds regular classes of half-days for four weeks at her Scorched Earth Studio in Walmer, which is off the Calder Freeway at Fogarty’s Gap Road.

The next workshop is from 25 May to 27 June 2026; the cost is $300 with all materials and advice included. Book/enquiries at www.scorchedearth.com.au/workshops/. Make yourself a winter rose.

For more information: www.scorchedearth.com.au/.

MANet Artist Network Gallery: 37 Main Street, Maldon – Open Friday to Sunday 11am – 3pm.

This article appeared in the Tarrangower Times, 29 May 2026.