After spending the summer getting ourselves settled into our new townhouse, and enjoying a Vancouver Island holiday with family, I was delighted to start making pots again. The little downstairs bedroom now has a vinyl floor and houses my wheel, a work table and the slab roller and makes a fine studio. Thanks to TriCity Potter Max Yang's Coquitlam kiln I was able to bisque…
"TriCity Potters have been preparing for our group soda firing at Shadbolt Centre for the Arts for a few months. Last Wednesday twenty potters brought our pots to the Vault kiln for liner glaze, flashing slips and wadding. Some members helped to load the kiln the next day and learn about spraying soda into the kiln at its hottest on the third day. We had…
What a week it's been! As you saw we emptied the soda kiln last Tuesday. On the Wednesday I took better photos of each pot so you can get a better look at the varied slip surfaces that appeared. I've also made another reel which shows the back of our house and then inside the kiln shed, where I have my light box, and a…
Tuesday was the day I've been waiting for. At 1.30pm sharp the team were all there, waiting to start the unloading of the 107th firing of the Soda kiln at Shadbolt Centre. The kiln is showing its age, with some nasty chunks having fallen into pots which were placed on the bottom ledge of the door. Tony was considering whether repairs are in order or…
There's always more to learn when you toy with atmospheric firing. People ask how it went and the answer is 'well 80%', often. That's good. Overall the colours looked encouraging when we opened the kiln door but my batch seems rather brown. I shall refer to my notes and make suggestions to myself to try a different flashing slip, or apply less etc. Every time…