The past few days have been spent in prep for loading a kiln.
This is a mid-range firing, so the kiln is a large electric kiln, fired to cone 6. This means that the wares will be very colorful, but it also means lots and lots of time invested in glazing. Too much time, really. But that’s the subject of another post…
I had been producing mostly hand-built work for this firing; charcuterie/cheese platters and coordinating serving wares, vases and wall pockets. I did get some noodle and serving bowls thrown, and they’re in the kiln too. I finished the glazing as I was loading the kiln last night, and managed to get it started right on schedule. I’m a little anxious about this firing, since this particular kiln has been underfiring my schedule by about a cone. So I increased the maturation temp to 2232 degrees F, and reduced the hold… and I hope that I don’t have glaze running off my wall pockets. <crosses fingers> <bites nails> We’ll see when I unload tomorrow.
Getting one of the main glazes proved to be a problem, so I didn’t get everything glazed, but that’s okay - there wouldn’t have been room for it in the kiln anyway. Still, I will have a lot of fresh stock this coming weekend, including blue noodle bowls.
Surface printed charcuterie and cheese tray, with matching ramekins