POTS FROM THE PAST

While I was an undergraduate at Towson University, I really got hooked on firing with soda in a converted electric kiln. It is amazing to me how many of the things I learned on my parents padio 5 years that are still relevant to what I am doing with wood firing today. I probably fired a few more that 20 times in a 7 cubic foot gutted electric kiln shell made of soft brick. With only a few modifications you can fire one of these things with propane and wood to cone 10 in about 7 hours, and unload it the next day! This pot is from one of those firings on October 8th, 2008. At the time, I knew I liked the colors and surfaces, but I now know how important they are to me and my work. This piece was made from Standard's 306 body and had a thin layer of temmonku glaze sprayed around the top third. With help from the intense flame and soda vapors, the glaze ran and acted much like an ash glaze. I strive to get these effects on my current work. You can also see the orange peal effect of the soda that breaks up the raw brown clay body. While I wait for construction of my new, much bigger, and much more permanent kiln to start, I am thinking of revisiting this way of firing with some smaller loads....

---