Kenny is doing very well. He functioning as independently as he was when he first moved in here last year. Around Thanksgiving he discovered Legos and the little box sets they have for building vehicles--his life long love. He has put in thousands of hours working on his Lego projects. We are all amazed at his enthusiasm for constructing with the tiny blocks because of the restricted use he has of his hands--especially his right hand. He spends his mornings in the studio (week days only!) and the afternoons and some evenings working with the Legos. His TV watching is greatly diminished--a good thing!
On the pottery side of the studio, I just completed a glaze firing--first since my last post. I was so disappointed in the last firing it was hard to generate enough enthusiasm to get started again. Unfortunately, this was not very successful either. At least I understand what happened--something I caused and can control next time. I made a mistake in the firing schedule--something I thought I had read but maybe I dreamed it up all on my own! Anyway, on one glaze in particular, but to a lesser degree almost everything had a 'gritty' feeling surface. It was not grit but tiny craters with rough edges on my glazes. Everything with the new black glaze was covered with this 'grit'.
My 'red' glaze held up the best through the bad firing. I am particularly fond of the compote.
I made another of the gratin dishes with a bit higher side (deeper dish). But really messed up the inside. I thought I'd like the inside colored--not white like the last one--so I painted on a slip at the leather hard stage. The slip was supposed to be a medium green. After the bisque it looked black but it was supposed to be medium green so I put a green glaze on the outside and a clear liner glaze on the inside. Weill the slip came out BLUE and clear liner glaze left a white ring around the inside edge--where the wall meets the base. Boo Hoo.
Well, back to the studio. I am going to try refiring the black glazed pieces to see if they will smooth out--I don't have great expectations but do have big wishes! And I'm still trying to think of some way to save my gratin dish...
9 comments:
Good to see you back. It's strange but I was just thinking about you yesterday, I have Kenny's Christmas painting in my file folders and came across it yesterday.I like the red glaze!
Thanks Tracey, It felt really bad neglecting my blog so long--but did not have anything I wanted to share. Hope to stay tuned in!
PS I really like the flower pots--they are great!
Gay, I'm sorry about your firing -- I was reading about it on clayart, too. But that red is fabulous! And the black on the outside -- WOW -- really sets it off nicely. What color is your claybody? And if that's not RAD RED - what red do you use?
It's good to hear Kenny is content with his days again.
Thanks, Judy. I use a glaze called "Harris Tenmoku"--that only gets red if slow cooled to 1850 and held for half an hour or more. (I have friends and fellow ^6 folk who insist that it is NOT red but is brown!) My big mistake was dropping to 1500 then going back up to 1850. Ron said that let the glaze, with bubbles, cool too much to smooth out after geting back to 1850. Don't know where I got the idea that I needed to do that...The red did not act too badly with the bad schedule but the black sure did! And my faithful green did also. The clay body (BlackJack) is dark when raw but turns buff when fired.) Gay
The compote is beautiful.
Thanks, Barbara. I enjoyed browsing your blog--I am happy to know about it. Your heads are amazing. Gay
Beautiful compote, looks red to me too - a nice brown to have; the black bowls with the red interior look great together.
Mornin' Gay
Hold off on using fiber blanket to cover your kilns . . . .
This morning at 3:27am went to start mine and it absolutely wouldn't start !!!
Don't know whether this has anything to do with the fiber blanket or has just happened coincidently (time wise) . . .
But am really bummed out.
Will call Paragon in a few minutes.
Hugs
Chae
Mornin' Gay
Driggs (when i moved here) had no home mail delivery service. So i rented a po box. Which i only ever check once a month !!! And sometimes not even then. The address is: P.O. Box 945. Driggs, ID 83422.
I totally appreciate your offer, but Gay -- i have some mylar around-and-about the house somewheres (at least from Charan's description of it) -- it's just that the combination of this house and winter has knocked me for a loop on the experimenting front. Then, too, there's the ongoing "battle" with the kiln. Just when i think the situation is "solved" another wrinkle pops up.
You are such a dear to think of sending me the mylar. You know i am blowing you kisses. But at this moment in time, just don't want to take on any more "challenges" !!!
Love N Hugs
Chae
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