Deborah Thuman on tue 11 jan 11
I had to insist that I learn how to fire the kilns at NMSU. Undergrads
don't do their own firing. So how am I supposed to learn to fire a
kiln if I don't ever fire a kiln? Fortunately, I got along well with
the teachers and grad students.
I learned to use a kiln sitter - right after I realized I forgot to
put a cone in the sitter and I had fully loaded the kiln.
I learned to program a Scutt kiln. I learned to fire the Blauuw. I
learned to fire the fully manual gas kiln.
I learned the hard way between ^6 and ^06. Fortunately, I tried to
glaze fire ^6 and hit ^06 so I didn't have a disaster. I learned the
hard way not to refer to the one person each semester who put terra
cotta on the ^10 glaze shelf as an asshole. I learned that right about
the time I turned into an asshole and put the low fire white clay on
the ^10 glaze shelf. I got really really lucky that I only melted my
piece into another student's test tiles and got even luckier when the
student thought the test tiles now joined with white clay were the
cutest thing going and wanted to hang it on her wall. (I was prepared
to make her new test tiles seeing as to how I melted my piece into
hers.)
I learned I don't like to scrape shelves so I'm careful (maybe too
careful) with glazes.
I learned I really, really dislike the Blauuw and I dearly love firing
the fully manual gas kiln. I learned that a crappy ^6 commercial glaze
in oxidation really pops and turns wonderful in reduction. I learned
that after the kiln gets as hot as I need it to get, I turn the gas
down to how I would candle the kiln and let the kiln sit in oxidation
for 30 minutes. I learned that 45 minutes is too long. I learned that
coming out of reduction before ^1 doesn't work.
I learned that there's a BIG difference between how I program a 30
minute hold for the electric kiln and how I program a 30 hour hold.
Fortunately, nothing melted and Jim actually liked the effect it had
on his pieces. Jim shut the kiln off after I realized my mistake. I
think it was only a 15 hour hold.
You can't learn all that from a book; and knowing all that is a huge
help to me.
Deb Thuman
http://debthumansblog.blogspot.com/
http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=3D5888059
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Deb-Thumans-Art-Page/167529715986
Birgit Wright on wed 12 jan 11
Deb=3D3B that sounds like some damn fine educational experiences=3D2C I env=
y th=3D
em. They are the kind I learn from.=3D20
Cheers=3D2C Birgit
=3D20
> Date: Tue=3D2C 11 Jan 2011 16:35:24 -0700
> From: debthuman@ZIANET.COM
> Subject: John's rant against teachers and other educational things
> To: Clayart@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
>=3D20
> I had to insist that I learn how to fire the kilns at NMSU. Undergrads
> don't do their own firing. So how am I supposed to learn to fire a
> kiln if I don't ever fire a kiln? Fortunately=3D2C I got along well with
> the teachers and grad students.
>=3D20
> I learned to use a kiln sitter - right after I realized I forgot to
> put a cone in the sitter and I had fully loaded the kiln.
>=3D20
> I learned to program a Scutt kiln. I learned to fire the Blauuw. I
> learned to fire the fully manual gas kiln.
>=3D20
> I learned the hard way between ^6 and ^06. Fortunately=3D2C I tried to
> glaze fire ^6 and hit ^06 so I didn't have a disaster. I learned the
> hard way not to refer to the one person each semester who put terra
> cotta on the ^10 glaze shelf as an asshole. I learned that right about
> the time I turned into an asshole and put the low fire white clay on
> the ^10 glaze shelf. I got really really lucky that I only melted my
> piece into another student's test tiles and got even luckier when the
> student thought the test tiles now joined with white clay were the
> cutest thing going and wanted to hang it on her wall. (I was prepared
> to make her new test tiles seeing as to how I melted my piece into
> hers.)
>=3D20
> I learned I don't like to scrape shelves so I'm careful (maybe too
> careful) with glazes.
>=3D20
> I learned I really=3D2C really dislike the Blauuw and I dearly love firin=
g
> the fully manual gas kiln. I learned that a crappy ^6 commercial glaze
> in oxidation really pops and turns wonderful in reduction. I learned
> that after the kiln gets as hot as I need it to get=3D2C I turn the gas
> down to how I would candle the kiln and let the kiln sit in oxidation
> for 30 minutes. I learned that 45 minutes is too long. I learned that
> coming out of reduction before ^1 doesn't work.
>=3D20
> I learned that there's a BIG difference between how I program a 30
> minute hold for the electric kiln and how I program a 30 hour hold.
> Fortunately=3D2C nothing melted and Jim actually liked the effect it had
> on his pieces. Jim shut the kiln off after I realized my mistake. I
> think it was only a 15 hour hold.
>=3D20
> You can't learn all that from a book=3D3B and knowing all that is a huge
> help to me.
>=3D20
> Deb Thuman
> http://debthumansblog.blogspot.com/
> http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=3D3D5888059
> http://www.facebook.com/pages/Deb-Thumans-Art-Page/167529715986
=3D
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