I just fired off the wood kiln this last weekend. It was a very good firing, I'm still digesting but so far I'm very pleased with it. I've been working with this new slipware kinda thing with an ash glaze and it's been a struggle, but I think I've finally gotten the glaze just right. I only had a couple of wasters in this kiln which is very good, considering that I've lost about 100+ pieces out of the last 2 firings. I've been having a problem with my ash glazes blistering but this time around I slowed it way down from the time cone 7 was down. With slips there is nothing to mature so there isn't really a need to slow it down or soak it. Different story with the glazes. I had a handful of pieces blister and I'm going to attempt to refire them, usually a waste with ash glazes but they're platters/bowls so I think it will be okay. It was localized in the part of the kiln that got the hottest the fastest(the bottom backside) so I'll just have to watch that next time.
Here is the back stack:
The front stack.
The front wall of my kiln has been doing a lot of moving and needs a rebuild. I'm seriously contemplating building a new kiln this next year if it's financially viable and if I can do that I'm not going to waste time and materials rebuilding part of my kiln. I bought a couple sheets of cement board and clamped them tight to the front of the kiln, it seemed to do the trick. I usually have so many gaps it makes the temperature and atmosphere erratic, smooth and steady this time. Not very pretty though. I'm a believe that kilns should be aesthetically pleasing as well as functional. They shouldn't look like crack whores.
Here is the stack post-firing. Not a great photo but you can see some good color in there. Yee-haw!
This is a piece from a previous firing, this will be at a show during NCECA called "Stoked in Texas". A group show of Texan woodfiring potters curated by Gary Hatcher. This is the piece they photographed for the catalog.
That's all I have for now...back to work! Firing again next week.
Cheers!
1 comment:
hi brandon. hope the rest of your acc weekend goes well. wanted to let you know that the slipped jar I got looks really nice, but also that the smaller ashglazed one (like your top pot photo above) really comes to life and warms up the room, in a home setting. pleased with both. have a great time in baltimore and you and william drive safe on the way back home.
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