Out with the Demolished, In with the New

This week has been an interesting week. Some in good ways, some in bad ways.

Let us get the bad part out of the way first.

Remember that super cheap shelf I bought at Rome Resale last week? Well, they can take their cheap shelves and shove them somewhere other than my studio because look what happened.

Yes, it totally caved and dumped my stereo on top of no less than a dozen of my freshly bisqued nesting bowls, empty bowls and a lovely berry bowl. Two made it out alive for which I should be thankful but man, that was quite a hit to take.  Of all the things that can go wrong with a piece, I would have guessed cracking or a glaze drip before I guessed a stereo would fall out of the sky and smash them like cartoon characters under pianos. (Hence the video to add humor to the situation)

Now for the good news. I had a BEAUTIFUL kiln opening this week. I mean, alllmooost perfect. Not quite, but pretty good.

Here are some of the new variables I've been working with that added to my success:

1. I altered my firing method. My kiln has been firing really hot lately, and I've been getting some bubbling and drips because of it. So, the girls at Atlanta Clay advised me that Skutts often fire very hot when you use their definition of cone 6. So, I dropped it by 40 degrees (eeek!) and added a 15 minute soak and wow, it made such an amazing difference! It's the "mastering cone 6 glazes)" technique and I really recommend it as do my witness cones that were very happy with this firing. I'm going to shorten my soak a bit next time because I think 15 minutes is a bit long but overall, I saw no blistering, pitting, or bubbly clay. Yay!

2. The majority of my work was done in a cone 6 porcelain clay body- P-5. I've only thrown a bag of it before, and liked the results but had a lot of cracks and other finicky porcelain issues. At Haystack I learned some good compressing techniques and that if you let the clay harden up a bit, it is much easier to work with. And overall, I had very few problems.

3. Since I was working in porcelain, I used some of my very shiny and iridescent glazes to play off of the translucent quality of the clay. My blues, greens and white really perked up with the bright white porcelain beneath it and the slip trailing stands out really well too.

4. And I have this new white glaze. I figured I needed one if I was going to be playing with white clay. I didn't use a lot of it this go around since it was my first time using it but it works wonderfully, is amazingly pristine and just precious looking.

5. Interestingly enough, one of my glazes completely changed with my new firing method, clay or something. Previously firing brown, this glaze turned out some really beautiful reds this time. 

Antique Jasper with white overlap

So, despite the little stereo set back, I'm very encouraged by these new discoveries and am ready to get back in the studio and use my new found knowledge to make more great pots. And potters, if you don't know Hsinchuen Lin I highly recommend his videos. I think if I watch all his material, I will have earned a higher education degree. He is that good. And kind of cute in a Taiwanese, older man potter sort of way. The videos are long, but very very worth it.

Ok, time to pack these guys up to go to the Oakhurst Arts and Music festival. I think I'll cry a little each time someone decides to take one of these guys home. 

At least I have my pictures.

Love, Lisa