mel jacobson on thu 21 aug 08
one theory that has been brought from history
is:
potters invented bricks so they did not have
to dig holes in mountains to fire their pots.
(or have to haul pots ten miles up a mountain on horse back.)
they built kilns next to the pottery.
easy.
one of the most important aspects of kilns
in the ground has already been mentioned:
soil conditions.
many early kilns were dug in clay pits...the
earth fired very well. the kiln became a giant bottle.
so. i am a brick guy....like to build kilns around my pottery.
same for our farm...five kilns....wood, salt, stoneware, raku,
pit. all within easy reach of gas lines. if we were to run out
of wood, we would finish with gas. or, if the wood turned out
to be worthless, we finish with gas.
i think the best kiln in the world is a gas fired stoneware
kiln in my studio...twenty feet from my wheel. (vented, sealed
from my studio, safe.) potters make pots, the quality of those
pots are from the quality of the potter. kilns just fire the ideas.
i have heard all the arguments...`if we only had a salt kiln at
the art center, boy would we make good pots`. the kiln is not
the reason for good pots...the potter is.
mel
from minnetonka:
website http://www.visi.com/~melpots/
clayart site:
http://www.visi.com/~melpots/clayart.html
Donald Burroughs on fri 22 aug 08
Mel
Well-spoken regarding the potter/clay artist. It is the romanticism of the =
idea which fuels the wood kiln need=2C when one is without. Still=2C I must=
admit to liking the feel of wood over gas=2C not that you don't get great =
results. Love that purple and red of yours.
=20
Regards=2C Don Burroughs
_________________________________________________________________
Kim Hohlmayer on fri 22 aug 08
Mel,
I always love your posts because they always make me think!!! I so agree that the potter is the real issue, not the equipment or supplies or tools. That said, I would still be one who if I got the chance would like to try the hillside, coffin kiln. The need to experiment is one of the reaasons we become artists. :^) --Kim H.
--- On Thu, 8/21/08, mel jacobson wrote:
> From: mel jacobson
> Subject: hill kilns
> To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
> Date: Thursday, August 21, 2008, 3:41 PM
> one theory that has been brought from history
> is:
>
> potters invented bricks so they did not have
> to dig holes in mountains to fire their pots.
> (or have to haul pots ten miles up a mountain on horse
> back.)
>
> they built kilns next to the pottery.
> easy.
>
> one of the most important aspects of kilns
> in the ground has already been mentioned:
> soil conditions.
>
> many early kilns were dug in clay pits...the
> earth fired very well. the kiln became a giant bottle.
>
> so. i am a brick guy....like to build kilns around my
> pottery.
> same for our farm...five kilns....wood, salt, stoneware,
> raku,
> pit. all within easy reach of gas lines. if we were to
> run out
> of wood, we would finish with gas. or, if the wood turned
> out
> to be worthless, we finish with gas.
>
> i think the best kiln in the world is a gas fired stoneware
> kiln in my studio...twenty feet from my wheel. (vented,
> sealed
> from my studio, safe.) potters make pots, the quality of
> those
> pots are from the quality of the potter. kilns just fire
> the ideas.
>
> i have heard all the arguments...`if we only had a salt
> kiln at
> the art center, boy would we make good pots`. the kiln is
> not
> the reason for good pots...the potter is.
> mel
> from minnetonka:
> website http://www.visi.com/~melpots/
> clayart site:
> http://www.visi.com/~melpots/clayart.html
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