A piece of Robert Hayostek’s soul will reside in cupboards across Cochise County and beyond following the ninth annual Cochise College Pit Fire Festival.
Hayostek is the student potter selected to craft 1,000 ceramic soup bowls for the event, which is expected to draw hundreds, if not thousands, to the Douglas Campus on Oct. 22. The event includes numerous performers opening for local band Train Wreck, soups prepared by Cochise College Culinary Arts students, and fireworks.
But the main act is an enormous inferno, in which pottery by Cochise College students and pieces shipped from elsewhere – this year, as far as Denmark and as close as Col. Smith Middle School – are fired. Pottery is removed from the ashes the next day, with select pieces displayed on the Douglas Campus and in Bisbee.
Guests will eat soup from the bowls that Hayostek began crafting during the spring semester. His connection to ceramics began at Douglas High School, where he credits art teacher Richard Paun for recognizing his interest in the work. He’s enrolled regularly in college ceramics classes since graduating in 2007.
Despite about eight years working with clay, Hayostek turned the pit fire gig down in previous years, doubting his own ability to commit to a project of such magnitude.
To be a good ceramicist, a potter needs to throw thousands of pieces, says ceramics faculty Tate Rich. Throwing 1,000 bowls is great for someone who wants to learn repetition and consistency, and the job is awarded to a student who has the technical skills and the discipline to dedicate to the project. After all, making 1,000 ceramic soup bowls for peers and the general public is much more than a one- or two-day commitment. It can’t be entrusted to just anyone.
About the Bowls
Hayostek developed several prototypes prior to embarking on the project. This year’s selected design features a texture achieved through chattering, achieved when a tool is applied to the clay as the pottery is turned, creating a pattern that gives off a carved appearance.
Using clay recycled from scraps leftover from student projects, Hayostek has worked in batches, bringing 800-plus pieces through the bisque firing stage to date. The longest step is wedging the clay, a process similar to kneading dough that helps make it more pliable. Wedging precedes the formation of clay into chunks of a specific size and weight intended to maximize the functionality and appearance of the bowl. After being allowed to dry for several hours, bisque firing turns the mud to stone.
Hayostek also reserved leftover glazes from all kinds of student projects. The resulting liquid glaze is an earthy shade of pink that is expected to turn a cool blue-green upon the second firing, which is hotter than the first and results in a glossy sheen over a granite-like final piece.
There is a visible difference between Hayostek’s first bowl and the 800th, both in shape and texture. In essence, he became a one-man factory, and what he’s accomplished is mind-boggling, he says. Soon he’ll have help, as a “group glaze” is planned prior to the Oct. 22 pit fire.
“Whether it’s this classroom project or the pit fire festival itself, ceramics here at Cochise is about community, about bringing people together,” Rich says.
Friends of the Art Department
The Pit Fire Festival has drawn attention to Cochise College ceramics and a renewed focus on the arts. Guests are expected from Pima Community College, Arizona Western College, all three state universities as well as Western New Mexico and Temple universities. Various organizations have sponsored the event, with the most steadfast support coming in the form of clay itself from Marjon Ceramics and Laguna Clay. Guests who purchase one of Hayostek’s bowls support the Friends of the Art Department, which provides funding in support of art scholarships and advancement of the Art Department.
Hayostek himself has been a scholarship recipient. He now lives in Bisbee and is working to get his name out as an artist. He recognizes there is a lot of competition, but he has placed pieces at 55 Main Gallery. He previously exhibited at the Douglas Art Association gallery and is thankful for the soup bowl project from which he’s learned so much.
“This project really opened my eyes,” Hayostek says. “I’m learning to dedicate myself to something and getting this done was a big lesson in responsibility, in taking care of something beyond myself.”
If You Go…
What: Cochise College Pit Fire Festival
Where: Douglas Campus, 4190 W Highway 80, Douglas, AZ 85607
When: 5 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 22
Who: Cochise College Culinary Arts will serve Mexican Mushroom Soup (vegan/gluten-free), Chicken and Sausage Gumbo, and Hearty Bacon Bean Ham Hock Soup. Opening acts 5-7, fire starts at 7, Train Wreck performs.
Cost: Admission to the Pit Fire Festival is free. Bowls may be purchased for $10 each. T-shirts and other items will be available for purchase. Proceeds benefit the Friends of the Art Department, which supports art programming and scholarships.
Info: pitfirefestival.com/
Little Known Fact: So that they can be used immediately, soup bowls are sterilized prior to the festival. Be careful not to touch while making your selection!