Muckin' Big firings!

Twice a year, we get to use the BIG kilns - the outdoor wood-firing and the salt-fired kiln. Both firing types were common in Medieval Europe, so naturally I've been spending all semester getting ready.

The interior of the salt kiln. No, the bricks aren't glazed;
they've soaked up years of salt. So, yes - technically, they're
glazed. 

Studio notes

Tuesday night was very productive. 

• I recycled some white stoneware from the studio recycling bin. I wedged it into 4 pound balls and let it sit for a week. It was a little soft, and I couldn't get more than a 2-lb ball to throw from it. However, I have about 12 pieces from Tuesday night, three yarn bowls and the rest all medieval dishes and cups. 
• Put out some red stoneware from the studio recycling bin to start on Garick's aquamanile. 

Wednesday night was good too.

• Trimmed and started carving first raku "pinecone" vase. I had to stop when the work became uncomfortable, but am likely to be well over half done with the vase. 
• Glazed 3 medieval pieces for the ^6 salt reduction firing. Used ^6 glaze on all, but I'm told that the ^10 glazes will mature in that firing as well. More matte effect. Glazed interior only of a cup, plate, and bowl. If I don't like them, they go into the wood firing next weekend. 
• Tuesday night's pieces are tightly wrapped and still wet. Expecting to trim all medieval pieces tonight. 

From this past weekend's firing

Studio notes

I've lost track of how many items I have in process now. I've been focusing on three main areas - raku, wood/salt firing, and just getting some basic white stoneware 14th century pieces done.

Sent 5 of the latter to the glaze firing last night; things are pretty backed up in there, so I'm hoping to be able to mail the two that I owe for KAOS this weekend, and get the other three up on the etsy site for sale. (Yeah! Sale!) Also wedged up 24 lbs of recycled white stoneware for more 14th century pieces. Production tonight.

Also in the pipeline:

• three "pinecone" rakuware vases. I'm having trouble getting the neck/rim to throw properly, and so will be throwing necks to attach. Tonight. Intend to get them into the next ^08 bisque firing, on Thursday. 
• A stack of 5 medieval plates and a tyg for the wood firing on May 1. 
• 5 tea bowls for the same firing. 

And then there are the pieces still in the brain:

• Four-sided "moon" vase; slab construction with thrown neck. Raku. (This means that I need more clay.)
• Raku pedestal for glass tabletop. (15" high)
• Stoneware yarn bowls.
• Small things like ring holders, dipping bowls - $5 range.

Tea bowls

There are years of potential work here:

http://flyeschool.com/content/japanese-tea-bowl-shapes

My first really successful tea bowl. 

On Deck

It really isn't a surprise, but...

I have more ceramics projects in process than I can complete at once.

Medieval dishes

Four medieval dishes currently in process.

At greenware, they are all about 8" in diameter and vary from 1"to 3" in high, wheel-thrown from Laguna Clay B-mix for wood and salt firings. I expect 13% shrinkage.

The form is the typical wide funnel, with minimal decoration. They reach have a horizontal lip that I tried to form in such a way that there's a good grip. We'll know when they're actually strong enough to pick up that way. Although they were intended for this weekend's firings, I couldn't get them done in time. The next wood/salt firing is May 1. I hate to have to hold on to them for another six weeks, but there's not a lot of point in putting them into anything but those. I'll be doing a bunch more in regular stoneware in the meantime.

As the profile shots show, the walls are not quite symmetrical. Although I feel like I'm doing well in creatingng forms, centering stll seems to be my biggest challenge.

Other than making more of these - lots more - I want to add some embellishments. Extant dishes show stamped dots around the rim. Time to make some stamps...

EUREKA!

Today, I made the "frilled" or "thumbprint" base work.

The pot was trimmed while pretty wet intro a flared base with a squared lower angle. I used the wooden tool pictured to press in the "thumbprints," issuing a slight left- leaning pressure.

It wasn't the first highlight of my day, but it was pretty good.