Life is Good Again+

I said a little prayer over the kiln (honestly, I DID) as I turned it on low, low, low, I fired it on low for the longest time to properly banish the water from the ware. My electric bill is going to skyrocket this month. Greenware inside the kiln, shhh, be quiet, greenware can turn on you if you don't treat it right. See, that was the trouble all along, I am so impatient I hurried the firing the first time and cracked some things and warped the rest. This time I filled that puppy to the gills and said that prayer and started the 14 hour (or so) firing. Viola - good bisque upon opening the kiln.

Glaze, glaze, glaze, load kiln, fire, fire faster, glazed bisque is not as picky. The glaze firing ended about an hour ago and I am already itching to open the kiln. BUT - BUT - BUT glaze fired ware is picky about leaving the kiln before it cools so patience, patience, patience.

This is day # 23 of the 50 days, I am caught up but not everything is glazed and fired so I'll just keep praying over the kiln, keep firing and pay the bill when it comes. What else can I do?

Friday evening is a gathering at Sanchez Art Center, the artists will come and we can discuss our joys and sorrows I guess. Sanchez started a Google group to discuss on-line and I was invited but the moderator won't let me in, so, oh, well...I can only ask 3 times, that's my limit. Besides I can concentrate on working instead of visiting, I can visit in person!

Let's Fire Up Our Mazda's

I had this book/magazine once. Once is the operative word. Wish I could see that photo again. Filled with pots this group of wild?, crazy?, fun?, dangerous?, subversive?, drunk?, stoned?, sober?, pyromaniac? potters lit fire to a Mazda. Ya, ya, you heard me, used it like a kiln, fired the pots right inside the Mazda. It was a sight to behold.
I kind of like the idea of doing things like that, me, a grandma and everything.

I looked for the event recorded someplace on the Internet but found only this photo of a burnt Mazda, I don't think it's the same one but I wonder if that's what it looked like after the firing was complete.

This wasn't a Ceramics Monthly story, no, they don't look kindly upon that kind of behavior in Ceramics Monthly. You must have a studio and be serious about your "work".

Dragonfly Serving Dish

Just wanted to post the photo of my dragonfly bowl! It turned out just the way I hoped it would. Cone 10, reduction firing.

I made this for Dr. Eugene Groeger and when the kiln was opened - ta-daaa...I was so happy that it turned out! This summer I'll attempt to make another one or two....and if they turn out like this one - well, I'll be one happy potter!