mel jacobson on wed 21 oct 09
down firing is not for everyone. as i told rikki gill, `i think yo=
ur
firings are fine, and they make you happy, don't mess with anything
new unless you need to.`
down firing is an experiment in finding new glaze surfaces. i am never
totally happy with what is going on in my kiln and love to try new ideas.
i have a quest for surface tension, glazes that explode with texture
and rich color. so, why not down fire. it works.
my life is about trying, making new, and seeing what happens.
nils would call me a `player`.
i don't do that with orders, sets of dishes etc.
at the farm we have an attitude that any kiln firing can be
wasted....but, great results and new pots make us smile.
we have found far more than we have lost.
if what you are making is delightful and makes you happy, stick
with it.
i have been down firing high gloss glazes, temmoku, celedon and
such...the wisdom says: `don't do that, you don't want crystals
in those glazes.` hmmm, why not? i have gotten amazing iron reds,
temmoku, celedon with this type of firing, but it not a traditional
look. it is different.
(see the red to orange sample on my website, clayart page. it is
gorgeous.)
i do not mess a great deal with form. i like simple, and with
my glaze ideas, simple is better. we don't want the `shrine circus`
going on.
i have never been an advocate of wild forms, with 50 colors of glaze
and splashes all over. it is crazy. i much prefer simple form, functional
with glazes of color and texture. i hope for subtle beauty. richness and
depth. a lasting look. like a black dress and pearls, and matching shoes.
she will always be beautiful. boobs hanging out, spike heels and a skirt
to the crotch will be cute for one day...never for a formal function. clas=
s
always wins.
the work of carol marians is all about finding how many variations can
she achieve with one glaze, one firing...and different cooling cycles.
it is very amazing. that one glaze becomes four glazes by changing
the cooling variables. few believe her. it is just not written in the old
books. it is new and amazing.
so, like ivor just mentioned, older clay was designed for the slip casting
world....we don't slip cast, so maybe we should try something else, look
for something else. in fact, we never stop looking.
it is not high end science, but it is exploration into the unknown...and li=
ke
potters of old, we search, we observe, we try again, and make small changes
as we live our life in clay. it is the most valued thing we do, and our leg=
acy
will be based on discovery, not `same old, same old.`
mel
from: minnetonka, mn
website: http://www.visi.com/~melpots/
clayart link: http://www.visi.com/~melpots/clayart.html
new book: http://www.21stcenturykilns.com
mel jacobson on thu 22 oct 09
bill merrill has send me some great pix.
i will put them on the clayart page after you get to look
at carol's new work.
what i like about downfiring, it gives you a few more
choices.
a glaze becomes three to five glazes. and, you can pick the
up firing, and down firing schedule you like best..
it just changes.
we are not advocating `good, better, best`.
we are saying...`different`. and, opening many new options.
remember, carol's work is very precision.
she has a ph.d. in chemistry and has a passion for glaze study.
she is a potter, with a very humble sense of awe about clay and glaze.
in many ways, she is very shy about what she is doing, and it has taken
a hard push from several of us to get her to `show` what she is doing.
she lives in the world of electric kilns, cone 6.
it is what she has. and, she is opening the door for many of you.
she is the opposite of the `good old boy`, gotta have hard reduction,
black smoke.
piss behind the kiln and get hammered.
and, in keeping with what lili said the other day...it is not
academic, in your face,
we are smarter than you. it is about learning.
as neon cat has said.
`we are learning together.`
noth'n wrong with that.
from: minnetonka, mn
website: http://www.visi.com/~melpots/
clayart link: http://www.visi.com/~melpots/clayart.html
new book: http://www.21stcenturykilns.com
Bonnie Staffel on thu 22 oct 09
Hi all,
=3D20
I have found that playing with two glazes, using the double glazing
technique, I can get six or more variations from those two glazes =3D
depending
on which one is on top of the other, which was thicker or thinner, etc. =3D
I
fire to Cone 9 in a large electric kiln. I have found that my glazes do =3D
not
like the special down firing process as one glaze is very stable, the =3D
other
juicy. I also have relatively three zones in my kiln and I place the =3D
pots in
those areas depending on what I effect I want. This process always gives =
=3D
me
surprises and a great change from my regular production work.=3D20
=3D20
When I was at the Campbell Folk School and got the wood/gas kiln built =3D
in my
tenure there, I put one of my cone 8-10 production type pots in it to =3D
see
how it would react to the wood. While the basic white didn't move, it =3D
stood
true during the wood fire which probably went to Cone 12. My decorations
stayed put as well, but the outcome was just a little more of what I =3D
would
call "juicy" and deep without any running or movement. I really had to =3D
talk
the Director into approving the building of that kiln at that time, as =3D
wood
firing was not easily done in a five day course. I was able to get most =3D
of
the materials donated and one Elderhostel class (all over 60 y/o) built =3D
the
kiln, a double chambered construction. We hired Tracy Dotson to oversee =3D
and
plan the work. I understand that the school offers wood firing classes =3D
in
that kiln.
=3D20
Bonnie
http://webpages.charter.net/bstaffel/
http://vasefinder.com/bstaffelgallery1.html
DVD Throwing with Coils and Slabs
DVD Introduction to Wheel Work
Charter Member Potters Council
=3D20
Mary Starosta on thu 22 oct 09
Wow Bonnie,
Nice legacy to leave in your "tracks"......
Mary
On Thu, Oct 22, 2009 at 7:50 AM, Bonnie Staffel wro=
te:
> Hi all,
>
>
> When I was at the Campbell Folk School and got the wood/gas kiln built in
> my
> tenure there, I put one of my cone 8-10 production type pots in it to see
> how it would react to the wood. While the basic white didn't move, it sto=
od
> true during the wood fire which probably went to Cone 12. My decorations
> stayed put as well, but the outcome was just a little more of what I woul=
d
> call "juicy" and deep without any running or movement. I really had to ta=
lk
> the Director into approving the building of that kiln at that time, as wo=
od
> firing was not easily done in a five day course. I was able to get most o=
f
> the materials donated and one Elderhostel class (all over 60 y/o) built t=
he
> kiln, a double chambered construction. We hired Tracy Dotson to oversee a=
nd
> plan the work. I understand that the school offers wood firing classes i=
n
> that kiln.
>
> Bonnie
>
> http://webpages.charter.net/bstaffel/
> http://vasefinder.com/bstaffelgallery1.html
> DVD Throwing with Coils and Slabs
> DVD Introduction to Wheel Work
> Charter Member Potters Council
>
Mary Starosta
Colorado Potter
http://marystarosta.wordpress.com/
gayle bair on thu 22 oct 09
Hi Mel,
OMG.... how fabulous!!!!
Thank you so much for posting Carol's tests and info.
I don't know if she is on Clayart so would you please thank her for me/
us!!
Gayle Bair
Bainbridge Island WA
Tucson AZ
gayle@claybair.com
www.claybair.com
On Oct 22, 2009, at 4:17 AM, mel jacobson wrote:
> bill merrill has send me some great pix.
> i will put them on the clayart page after you get to look
> at carol's new work.
>
> what i like about downfiring, it gives you a few more
> choices.
> a glaze becomes three to five glazes. and, you can pick the
> up firing, and down firing schedule you like best..
> it just changes.
>
> we are not advocating `good, better, best`.
> we are saying...`different`. and, opening many new options.
>
> remember, carol's work is very precision.
> she has a ph.d. in chemistry and has a passion for glaze study.
> she is a potter, with a very humble sense of awe about clay and glaze.
> in many ways, she is very shy about what she is doing, and it has
> taken
> a hard push from several of us to get her to `show` what she is doing.
>
> she lives in the world of electric kilns, cone 6.
> it is what she has. and, she is opening the door for many of you.
> she is the opposite of the `good old boy`, gotta have hard reduction,
> black smoke.
> piss behind the kiln and get hammered.
>
> and, in keeping with what lili said the other day...it is not
> academic, in your face,
> we are smarter than you. it is about learning.
> as neon cat has said.
> `we are learning together.`
> noth'n wrong with that.
> from: minnetonka, mn
> website: http://www.visi.com/~melpots/
> clayart link: http://www.visi.com/~melpots/clayart.html
> new book: http://www.21stcenturykilns.com
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