Wednesday, November 16, 2011

fall fire

sitting on the wood pile


My second wood-firing at the same kiln, 
André's kiln, took place in november. This time I had the opportunity to tend to the kiln a lot and I learned a great deal.  After loading the kiln I got second thoughts about my work. I tried many new things all at once and for the first time in a kiln that's not even mine. First I mixed 2 kinds of clays and added tons of black sand to them. Then along with my usual blue-green and kaki glazes, I mixed up a new cone 12 white glaze which I had only tried at cone 6 in an electric kiln. Then I filled all my bowls with pine needles and cedar branches.
It was a fragrant treat while loading the kiln. So all these new aspects of my work which I had never even tested seperately kinda worried me. On the other hand, I love surprises and I was hoping it was going to be a good one. And it was! There is tons of room for improvements of course but for the first time I feel like this small body of work is finally what I want my work to be like. It's very strong, subtle, has many nuances, the clay body is more lively and plays well with the glazes, every piece is unique and it all had to undergo the flame and the heat that only a wood-kiln gives out. I was very satisfied and it was a blast unloading those surprises.