TeaChat

wow! looking forward to the finished product too! looks awesome so far!

Let me say the waste containers are a brilliant idea!

Hi all,
The idea was Brandons and he gave me guidelines for what he had envisioned. I supplied the skill in translation to clay. Glad you like it/them. Thanks Aphroditea for your comments, I love the idea/look too and can't wait to glaze them!! I have some new glazes I've made just for these. I see them as a start to a long running series. Also, I need to get some pics of the yunomis with mountains... I got a great book on China with all the unique mountains/pillars and landscape components.
Cheers, Bill

I really like the shape of the yunomi in the top row. I like the slight flare to the lip.
Very nice shape and I like your potter's mark. I wou ldlike to see some glazes in greens or white.

Hi all,

Just took a couple of quick pics to share of some new yunomis with hand carved bottoms.

I like the pronounced cliff in the front of this one. I'll be sure to create strong contrast there to pull that forward in the picture plane.
mountains with rising moon

Can't wait to fire again in a few weeks!! Cheers, Bill

Well, Bill....I have already decided that I MUST have a full moon yunomi Can't wait to see them glazed! I really love how you have interpreted the landscape, it looks like it will be wonderfully organic and meditative to hold

Okay, some of us are less patient than others
What's the word on your latest batch? By the way, you had mentioned a few posts back about trying out some new glazes...how is that working and can I ask what you are experimenting with?

Aphy on tenterhooks!

Hi everyone,
Have I been busy!!! But it will be worth it. I have the kiln just about ready to go for my next load. Maybe some people are not familiar with wood firing, but there's alot of preparation for each firing. I need several hundred pots to fill the kiln, depending on the size of the pieces... could be only 250 pots if there more large pieces. Still that's alot of throwing, trimming (and I have quite a few tea bowls with hand carved bottoms). Then fire three loads in my large, electric kiln ( the bisque firings). Also, most of my pieces this time have alot more elaborite glazing and it's taken me twice as long to glaze. Then there's straw to cut up into little tiny pieces to put in the wadding so the ash doesn't weld the pieces to the shelf. I use straw instead of rice hulls, I still get the silica structure I need to mix in with the refractory clay and sawdust for the mixture. I'll put that together tonight now that the glazing is done. Then the better part of the day tomorrow, Wednesday, to load everything, giving thought to each pieces placement in the kiln, postition on the shelf and the direction of the flame and ash is considered. Then a couple of hours bricking in the door and then I can start the actual firing. I should be ready to light the candle fire Wednesday night. Can't wait to see how it all comes out. I'll be sure to share with you all.
Talk to you in a few days. Bill

Wow
Sounds exciting.
May the "kiln gods " favor you.

woozl wrote:Wow
Sounds exciting.
May the "kiln gods " favor you.

Yes, yes! Ditto!
I am AMAZED and FASCINATED by all the care and consideration that goes into JUST the firing process! I will be very, very patient

Hey Woozl and Aphy,
Thanks for your well wishes. It's nice to be at this end of the work block. It was a long stretch but now the most exciting part. I didn't even mention about all the wood cutting and splitting (split down 3-4 times as fine as regular fireplace wood... the pieces need to be 1x1 to 2x3 for getting the highest temps, larger pieces burn cooler longer). Also, just to spice this up, I'll mention I went to my Mom's and took out the wall between her dining room and living room to make a great room... during all this. Busy, busy, busy... Aphy, I'll tell you more about glazes later when the kiln is cooling.
Cheers, Bill

bill

have a great firing !

please post pics !

aloha
cory

Hi all,
I had a great firing!!!! I didn't finish till 1:30 in the morning Thursday night...actually, that would be Friday morning. I'm a bit tired today but I did get to peek in there through the peep hole this afternoon, the one I use to look at the cone pack. I went to cone 11, almost flat. Using a strong light, I was able to look in at some and WOW!!! I saw my new turquoise oribe on a yunomi with an off white interior and they look stunning together. Also I saw my new oxblood red on something, I think was a matcha chawan... and some rice bowls....very nice... sorry Brandon, your piece was a little farther back out of sight because I didn't want the glaze to run and weld the lid to the bottom. The closer to the front of the kiln where the fire box is, the more the glaze runs as the ash is a flux. I can't wait till they get down to a couple hundred degrees. The color gets stronger when they're cooler. I'll keep you posted.
Bill

Neat! Looking forward to unloading.

Hi all,
Finally... I've been putting pics on my flicker site so I can get URL's to post pics here.
I have Brandons



Also here is a few pieces that I have uploaded so far on flickr. Mary Ann and I will be out of town Sunday and Monday so I won't get to many more till I get back. You can see some of the new glazes in these.


This is one of a few mountain tea bowls.

The internet keeps going down, we have satellite and it's storming out so I'll post now and come back with more. Bill[/img]