2018-02-22 - Thursday - Grass and raku class

I mowed the grass for the first time this year --in February. It's going to be a long summer.

Later, I watched the raku class at Clayworks fire the kiln. I'm not in the raku class, but I wanted to see them do a tumble stack glaze firing. It was fun to watch and yielded some amazing results.

February people! February.

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2017-12-12 - Tuesday - Glazing

Tuesday night I was glazing for an upcoming  cone 10 kiln firing. Everyone is trying to get the last firings in at the end of the year to finish up work. As I've mentioned many times, it takes a long time for me to glaze. Tuesday was no exception.

8:45 pm.

01:00 am.

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2017-11-29 - Wednesday - Raku fire fish

Wednesday night I fired the fish in the raku kiln at Clayworks.

Before I get to that, here is a photo of the trees at Clayworks from last night (ok, it was morning). The light was very strange; it made me think I was on another planet. Interesting.

Now, on to the raku firing...

Cans lined up for receiving fish.

The fish are getting hot.

Zebra/tiger/angel fish, depending who you talk to.

Almost the whole school.

Oops! Dropped one.

Fish in the kiln.

On the way home I was taken with some Christmas lights and thought I'd make another pass and video them.

Christmas lights.

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2017-11-13 - Monday - Glazing pots

Monday I glazed more pots for another gas kiln firing.

"Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it."

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2017-10-25 - Wednesday - Scummy

While the glazed pots sat on the shelf overnight the soluble salts surfaced in the shino glaze in what we call "scumming up". The salt crystals trap the carbon during the reduction firing making the shinos work, so scumming up is a good thing.

We finished loading the kiln and started candling it for tomorrow's firing. When I left it was up to 573 F with a long way to go.

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2017-05-25 - Thursday - New pots

Thursday I got some of my pots back from the kiln. Kimberly fires it beautifully with lots of reduction in our shino-centric firing schedule.

I'll get better photos taken soon. Until then, here are some snaps.

A cart full.

One side of the snorkel pot...

...and the other.

This guy.

Abstract.

Tea bowls.

Mugs.

Detail of the bottom of the snorkel pot.

Different detail of the snorkel pot.

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2017-02-13 - Monday - Load the kiln

Monday night we finished loading the kiln so Kimberly could fire it on Tuesday. I have several pieces in this kiln so I'll be looking forward to the unloading.

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2016-10-05 - Wednesday - Gas kiln and more raku

Wednesday night the gas kiln was cool enough to open, but we're not unloading it until Thursday. I really liked some of the pots I could see.

We did have a minor issue when the low temperature cone pack melted into one of Jeff's bowls, but I don't think it looks too bad.

I fired another round of raku pots. I've been firing a lot of raku lately and I still have another bin full of pots to fire.

The results of the raku firing.
The character on the last two pots is 'fire'.

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2016-10-03 - Monday - Firing Cone 10

Monday Jeff and I fired the cone 10 gas kiln. Since we only had to check the kiln every hour or so, I brought my laptop to Clayworks and did some work in the break room while we were firing. The firing went quickly and it was a bit strange since the atmosphere inside was "murky" in the bottom peep and clear in the top one. The murkiness showed we had good reduction (free carbon) atmosphere, but the top being clear was a concern.

Caught sight of this old spiderweb
outside by the loading dock door.

We got to 2287 F and the bottom 10 cone was pretty much down
and the top 10 cone was only soft. Done.

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2016-10-02 - Sunday - Raku and gas kiln = busy day

Sunday we were loading the gas kiln and while waiting for Jeff to finish glazing his work I fired some of the raku pots I've been making.

Raku paraphernalia all ready to go.

While waiting for the raku kiln to heat the first load
I glazed some more raku pots for another firing.

First couple of loads with underglaze and clear crackle.

During the raku firing I also made my first ever cone 10 cone packs. I know! The people I fired with always made them. Now I've done it too.

My first cone packs.

Another batch of raku, mostly luster glazes.

Same pots, other side.

This video is of the second batch of clear crackle pots
that Deborah helped me with by spritzing the pots
with water to promote crackling.

Finally it was time to start loading the gas kiln. We had a fairly loose pack due to Jeff needing to get some plates fired (and that we didn't have enough work for a tight pack). And here I thought I was making too much work...

Back stack.

Front stack (along with my cone packs)
and you can see by the flames that we started
"candling" the kiln.

By the time I left, the temperature was up to 866 F.
It will go to 1590 F and hold until
the morning when we start the firing process.

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2016-08-24 - Wednesday - Raku

Wednesday was raku night for Greg's class. It's always fun for veterans and rookies alike.

Greg sharing the procedure.

Before firing.

After firing.

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2015-08-04 - Tuesday - Kiln fired

Tuesday the kiln was finished, but too hot to unload. We'll have to wait until tomorrow.

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2014-04-29 - Tuesday - Firing

When I arrived at Clayworks on Tuesday night, the kiln was almost finished firing.  Shortly after that it was into final soak.  I can't wait to see the work that comes out of it.

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