loading it up!

Loaded up the kiln last night with a plethora of new votive and intention bowls. Some tests of new glaze combinations as well as some new soup bowls for at home as well. I’ll be firing the puppy up on Monday after the big kiln finishes firing so I can use some of the shelves. It isn’t often both are firing. Here are some shots from my phone of some of the steps in the process. Not only is divining form a process, so is envisioning the glaze outcome and how to get it to what you want it to be. Somehow it’s never simple!

A few freshly thrown pieces from the wheel

Once the pieces reach what's called a 'leather hard' stage, they can be safely flipped over and the bottom trimmed to have a foot or be a rounded bottom.

Waxing the bottom of the pot helps to save glaze waste. It's also helpful for waxing between glazing steps which is what I do on my vessel lips. I apply one or several glazes on the lip or elsewhere on the pot. Applying the wax cause the further glazing to repel from it therefore not tainting the first applied layers of the glaze.

thoughts on glazing

Upon visiting Jeff Campana’s site today, I came upon this quote I felt was worth repeating:

“Though quite beautiful, the stripes often found on my cups are the product of a lot of work, none of which is fun to me. I love almost every aspect of making pots, but in the case of glazing, I must trudge through it”.   

I couldn’t agree more. I remain on a search for the harmonious flow and luminescent color that still seems to evade me. Many pots come out just okay. They don’t sing. They don’t dance. The trial and error, miss and fail is of a high rate that can be quite exasperating. I know there will be a day when it comes together. I hope it is soon!