My first kiln being installed!
I love my work space!
Testing dozens of clays and glazes in hundreds of combinations.
Pottery gets fired 2x; this shows pottery stacked in the kiln for the first firing, called "bisque." It hardens the clay to a stage that would remind you of a terra-cotta planter. Everything here is very fragile, so great care must be taken.
A vase on the pottery wheel. The clay is still wet and must be handled gently so it doesn't get deformed!
These are "cones" that you place in the kiln during a firing. Each one melts at a different temperature. We use them to ensure that the kiln is firing to the temperature we want. If they don't look right, we make corrections.
Here's my kiln, all wired up and running!
Each piece goes down to the basement for bisque firing, then up to the studio for glazing, then down the the basement for glaze firing, then upstairs again when finished. I get a lot of exercise!
When I started this, I didn't know where it would go. It turned out to be one of my favorite designs! I am always experimenting.
I brush on all of my glazes at this point. "Dunking" and "spraying" are options. Brushing probably takes the longest.
The damp pottery has to completely air-dry before you can bisque-fire it. It's VERY fragile at this stage.
Painting a "Christmas Basket" bowl.
After you make a pot and it has dried to a particular level of firmness, you turn it upside down, and trim it into a pleasing shape. This is done on the pottery wheel, at high speed!
The left photo shows pots that are covered in glazes, ready for their final "glaze firing." The photo on the right shows why potters CAN'T WAIT to open the kiln when it cools. It's the same load of wares, ready for our enjoyment!
Once everything is made, I photograph each item individually, and sometimes in groups.
Some appear on Facebook, where you can message me with inquiries. Phone calls and emails are good, too! I'll hopefully get my online store up and running, too!