2017-03-13 - Monday - Pirates and crystals

Monday I stopped by Carolina Clay Connection to pick up some glaze materials and noticed this skull and crossbones flag on the other street. I asked inside, but nobody knew why it was there. I never did find out what it was about.

Going through some old buckets of glaze in the co-op I found this small bucket of Malcolm's Shino and was delighted to find salt crystals growing around the rim. Amazing stuff, there. To think they just grow there with no prodding is so cool.

It's the little things. It always is, if you're paying attention.

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2016-09-27 - Tuesday - Binkley plaque and shino crystals

Tuesday we got a wonderful surprise. My parents had a commemorative made for Binkley. It's very well done and it means a lot to us.

Tuesday night when I was at Clayworks I noticed the crystals growing in the orange carbon trap shino we use. The lid has been off this bucket for a while now since the glaze was too thin and we're waiting for some of the water to evaporate. There are soluble salts in the glaze and when they are exposed to the air they grow impressive crystals.

No flash.

The flash really makes the strands visible.

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2013-11-13 - Wednesday - Glaze-a-thon

Wednesday I glazed several pieces because the gas kiln is going to be fired on Monday.  I spent five hours glazing.  It always takes me longer than I expect, especially now since I am using more layers.  I dip, pour, brush, spray, and have a lot of fun.  There's usually some jumping around and dancing involved too.  I really get into the groove sometimes.

I use the fan to quick-dry between layers, but I also love the way it makes the shino scum.  Scumming makes the shino grow crystals on the surface.  You can get scumming if the weather is rainy before the firing or to a lesser degree by using a fan.

Sometimes when one of our shino glazes has not been disturbed for a while we find heavy crystalline growth on the inside of the bucket.  I usually try to get those crystals on my pots.  I'll try to remember to get a photo of the crystals in the bucket next time.

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