Friday, February 23, 2007

and the results are...

I emptied the kiln last night before going to class. I had thought I might want to take some of the pieces to class. But, as usual, I was disappointed with the outcome and did not take any of my work with me. Our class puts a big emphasis on the group 'critique' of the work we are producing. At class I was comforted by seeing that I am not the only one whose work looks better in the greenware stage than after being glazed. And today, after a closer and cooler review of the results of this last firing, I could see that I have overcome some of the biggest hurdles. I have no pinholes or crazing or crawling or shivering. Wow, that is a lot of improvement! I am still left with the artistic challenges--but to be on the winning side of glaze making and appling is a huge step forward! It is due, of course, to the change in clay.

I am still disappointed in my finishing of the greenware pieces. I don't see the little bumps and grinds on the clay when it is wet--and easy to correct--and only see it after the bisque--when it is very hard to correct--or after the glaze firing when there is no correction possible. That demands more attention to detail than is my nature to give. I seem to be of the school of 'good enough'! And that is really NOT good enough!

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