Any time you fire with flame rather than predictable electricity you are going to have surprises. Whether your work is in a reduction-firing in a gas kiln, in a wood kiln or a salt or soda firing you can never be sure how things will work out. There are sometimes serendipitous happenings and other times when the surfaces are flat, rough, crunchy or the wrong colour. C’est la vie for ignition addicts!
So the opening of one of these kilns brings expectations.. could be Christmas or black coals.
I was happy with my pieces in last week’s group soda firing at Shadbolt Centre. I knew that I’d get unexpected colours and a range of melts, from juicy orange peel, to smooth glaze effects to areas that are too dark or dry, depending on their placement in the kiln and on the amount of soda sprayed in. But I used slips I’ve tried before so had some idea of my results.
Some of our members have more experience than I do and it shows! I should have taken more individual photos of their work. But others are not really happy with what they took home. They can decide to try again, with the tips they can glean from others and their pots, or some may choose to stick with the reliability of electric firing. For me, who uses an electric kiln most of the time and can therefore rely on consistent colours and surfaces, the occasional foray into the unexpected provides new ideas and directions and a nod to ceramic history. I love it!
I’m posting photos of some pieces from this firing but know that, unlike salt-fired pieces generally, the other side may be rather different. There is more orange peel where the soda blasts from the front and sides. Pieces that were further inside the shelves and protected by other pots or kiln posts may be quieter.
Underglazes have given me some fun jolts of colour but have melted away in some areas. My shino glaze lining most of my ware is a rich orange. ‘Salt yellow’ glaze is good. I sat down today to make notes on what to use next time and yes, I plan to line more pots with Shadbolt’s ‘Robin’s clear’ (thanks Robin Dupont, your glaze can be a variety of yellow and green too and is a lovely surface for inside pots) and their ‘Teesha’.
My main note to myself is to use the blue more sparingly. It melts readily so gives almost too much drippy bright blue and when not hit with soda is too black for my taste. A slip which includes rutile and just a touch of cobalt is much more subtle.
Do let me know which shapes and colours you like. I may hold on to most of these for a while to study them further. And yes, I have put myself on the waiting list for another soda firing at Shadbolt. First I must make some more red clay jugbirds (Circle Craft are after me already) but then I’ll throw with stoneware again soon. Perhaps I’ll make some with just white clay..
I’ve been invited to be part of a small Port Moody Art Walk for Summer Solstice, June 22nd so hope to offer a variety of work in my studio that evening.
