Kiln Opening

I love doing bisque firings. They are full of promise. Only once have I had a piece explode and it was because I fired the load too quickly. Now I also am careful to put any piece that is thick on the outer part of the kiln shelf. If it has thick walls and explodes, you want it to not to be able to take out every piece on that particular shelf.


... and we open it to find every piece intact! I had over some young ladies to make pottery a few weeks back. They made soap-dishes and magnets, coasters and beads. They are excited to get their finished pieces, but they still need to be glazed. I didn't quite have a full kiln load with this batch.




Here's the second shelf. These are all from a Taos Red clay that I buy from a local clay company: Texas Pottery. It throws as smooth as porcelain and is the most vibrant red-brick color. I love working with it.



This piece was about 6 inches taller but during the trimming process it chipped and I realized the rim was simply too thin. So I shortened it. I do like this shape. It is not as classic as the taller shape, but it is lovely nonetheless. And now because the rim is thicker, it will be more durable.



I threw this cylinder just to see how high I could go. When I was done I hung it upside down so it would be nice and straight. Unfortunately it had not dried enough when I turned it back around again and it bent. So I did the best I could to straighten it out again. It is straight on three sides, but there is one angle that it seems a bit lopsided. I think it will be a lovely vase for a rose-bud or calla lilly, though.




This is such a familiar shape to me. Having grown up in Southern New Mexico (moved to Texas at age 23), this bowl shape is one that I was regularly exposed to. I wish I had the decorating skills of the wonderful Navajo Indians, but alas, I do not.




I trimmed right through the bottom of this pot. But I have a saucer that it will sit on and a candle can sit on it inside the pot and the flame will do a happy dance.


Now that everything has survived the kiln AND me taking it out of the kiln, it is time to begin the glazing process (often I drop it or bump pots against the sides of the kiln -- usually my favorite pieces!).