Glaze-orama

As I write I am firing my 2nd glaze kiln with pieces from the last post. My first firing was on Wednesday. I was doing double duty — working in the house and running out to my studio to monitor the kiln every couple of hours. When I realized I had been consumed with something on my computer and missed the end of the firing I panicked. Even though my Skutt kiln is fully automatic I still use cones inside the kiln. When the cone 6s go down I shut off the kiln and the vent fan. I had missed it by at least an hour. The cone 7s were F-L-A-T flat and the kiln was already cooling! I was worried the glazes would run off my pots.

The kiln was already cool enough in the morning to unload. I took that as a scary sign. Usually I need to wait until about 9pm to unload. Granted, it was a light load.

I couldn't unload it that morning. I had to make an emergency trip to Chicago for personal reasons. Torture! I finally unloaded it yesterday when I got back. It was fantastic. Some of the glazes did run slightly, but nothing drastic. The colors were richer and fluid and not a refire in the batch. Here are some photos with lots of close-ups. I think I will let the kiln I am firing today go off the same way. Cone 7. Who knew!

Bisque-orama

I have been cranking the last few weeks to get ready for two big shows at the end of the month. I unloaded my bisque kiln this morning. Here are some photos of pieces before they are glazed. It is a nice time to look at the forms and carving without color as a distraction. Perhaps someday I will do a series of white pots. Hmmmmm....

















All these new pieces (plus more) will be finished by September 22nd, just in time for Art in A New Yard on Sept. 26th at Fir Tree Cottage in Land O' Lakes and the Northwoods Fall Art Tour on Oct. 2,3,& 4 at my studio.