I fired my first bisque kiln this weekend. For those who don't play with clay, it means I took my greenware and fired it in the kiln...now they're ready to glaze and then I'll fire it again.
I lost two pieces. And that's sad, but to be honest, I thought I'd lose more. I moved a bunch of greenware from school, to our house, then out to the barn (on bumpy dirt roads). Greenware is fragile. So, losing two didn't seem so bad.
I lost two pieces. And that's sad, but to be honest, I thought I'd lose more. I moved a bunch of greenware from school, to our house, then out to the barn (on bumpy dirt roads). Greenware is fragile. So, losing two didn't seem so bad.
We'll see how the glazing goes. Some of the pieces I already glazed in school, intending to fire them in a gas kiln. That is very different than an electric (which is what I have), so I suspect some of my glazed-for-gas pieces are going to be disappointing. And I experimented with some more new glazes...who knows what those will look like. Basically, I'm prepared to lose half the firing.
I know. I'm planning to fail. On purpose. And I'm totally gleeful about it!
I'm still a ceramic novice, but even the most experienced potter occasionally has a piece fail. It is not an avocation for protectionists.
In Just One Thing, I mentioned that every Amish quilt has one intentional flaw, because only God should be perfect. (I'm not sure if that's just folklore but I love it, true or not.) As a writer, my books have (hopefully) gotten better. But I still love those early stories. I'm hoping my pottery continues to improve, but I'll always love some of my early pieces. I keep improving. I hope to spend the rest of my life improving my writing and my pottery.
Setting up the studio has made my appreciate Professor H. I've thanked him for everything he taught me, but I don't think I ever thanked him for everything we had at the school's studio. Glazes, underglazes. I sat my greenware on a shelf and amazingly it came back bisqued. I sat that on a shelf once I'd glazed it, and soon it was back on my shelf finished! LOL It was like magic!
I'm having fun making my own glazes, but I really am appreciating everything at the school. I loved that it was five minutes from the house. I could pop up for a few minutes here and there. We went round and round about where to build my studio—at home or at the cottage. The cottage won. But it's a forty minute drive (okay 41 minutes is my best time). I can't just pop in whenever. BUT today as I worked, I heard my Cooper's Hawk...its been very vocal. I saw a bunch of squirrels (Tallulah watched them from the studio's screen door). Plus, I got this pic last week. My neighbors in town are lovely, but they're not foxes. LOL
I'm having fun making my own glazes, but I really am appreciating everything at the school. I loved that it was five minutes from the house. I could pop up for a few minutes here and there. We went round and round about where to build my studio—at home or at the cottage. The cottage won. But it's a forty minute drive (okay 41 minutes is my best time). I can't just pop in whenever. BUT today as I worked, I heard my Cooper's Hawk...its been very vocal. I saw a bunch of squirrels (Tallulah watched them from the studio's screen door). Plus, I got this pic last week. My neighbors in town are lovely, but they're not foxes. LOL
Yes, I think I made the best decision. I'll have to be more disciplined and plan out my work. But I do love a good plan!
I'm heading back out tomorrow. I'm hoping to fire my glazed pieces next week. Keep your fingers crossed! I'll keep you posted!
Holly
PS. You can find my backlist at your favorite bookstore's online site. And I hope you'll check out my Hometown Hearts series:
My other big news is the work on our barn (my future studio) is plugging along! We finally have doors on the front!
