Janet H Walker on fri 24 apr 98
Open note to Clay Times:
In the spirit of adding to the practical knowledge of working
potters, I'd like to make several suggestions for expanding and
invigorating your glaze recipe section in the magazine.
1. Potential toxicity is a big concern amongst many on ClayArt.
Clay Times could do a major service by working with potters
(e.g. ClayArt or other consultants) to develop a scheme for
classifying potential risk with glazes. It could be REALLY simple.
For example, specify one from a small number of graded risk levels:
- hazardous to consumer, contains regulated substances
(e.g. lead, cadmium)
- ingredients potentially hazardous to the consumer
- ingredients hazardous to the potter during making
- low risk to either potter or consumer
(Note: by "consumer", I do not mean to imply that someone will be
eating the pot. So don't flame me.) Information of this kind would
be both practical and would help raise awareness in those who are
not on ClayArt about what some of the issues are to be concerned
about.
2. Some glazes look crummy on iron-based bodies but sparkle on
porcelain. Or vice versa. Knowing what kind of body the submitter
of the glaze used would help someone else decide whether to try it.
3. It would be more educational if the glaze page included more
information on the firing used by the submitter e.g. "12 hours to
cone 9 reduction with natural cooling" or "18 hours to cone 6
electric with controlled cooldown." The finished glaze could be
unrecognizably different in those two firing protocols.
4. Looking at the ingredients in a recipe doesn't really give much
information except to someone who is experienced enough to be able
to intuitively do unity formulas in their heads. So how about
publishing a unity formula along with the particular batch recipe as
submitted. Again helps long term with developing and educating
potters.
I realize that doing the column this way would be substantially more
work for the magazine and you might want to find a person to solicit
glazes and extract/develop the information needed to fill all the
slots. Maybe even independent firing of the recipe to check it
(like the food testers for some food magazines!)
The results of the investment though would surely show themselves
over time. Clay Times has an excellent opportunity here to raise
the utility of information offered in the magazine and this would
contribute pretty directly to subscriber satisfaction.
In the most constructive spirit possible,
Jan Walker
Cambridge, MA USA
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