Cheryl Fisher on sat 7 nov 98

I have fired these at home - low-fire 05-06. Wary of it but okay.
Problem might be that some of the pots have a sealer on it that will
resist glaze. Messed around with some pots and platters (for holding
water from plants) using majolica glaze. Glaze would not stick to
platters. Also have messed around with donated bisqued red tiles.
Strange thing happened to one. We fired it and needed to refire it
again. The second time it got a huge bubble in it (golf ball size).
Didn't explode but it was weird so I'd be very careful. Couldn't figure
out why it did it the second time and not the first.

Cheryl
cafish@gte.net
Sarasota, FL

John & Anne Worner on sat 7 nov 98

Hi Dee,

I have a friend who has done majollica on flower pots. She glaze fires to
^06. She seems to have had good success with it.

Anne Worner
Spring, TX

Dee Clay wrote:

> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> I am in need of an answer to a students question regarding store bought terra-
> cotta flower pots. He doesn't want to take the time to learn to throw. Just
> wants to glaze pots and have me fire (electric) . I recommended he paint them
> with oil or acrylic but he wants to fire them. Any advice as to what cone? I
> don't think I want to do it in the school's kiln.
> TIA Diane in Miami

WP Menard on sun 8 nov 98

Diane--

I recently took a low-fire class in order to learn how to handle
low-fire underglazes and glazes with an eye toward testing for high
fire, and to see how the other half lives...sorry. ;-}

One of the techniques our instructor (a china painter) showed us was
simple glazing and underglazing decorations on terra cotta flower pots.
I had a whole bunch of pots around as I often use them for trimming
chucks, so I glazed a few and had a great time. No pressure, no hassle,
no fuss. If the glaze job comes out bad (it seldom does), toss the pot
and start again.

First, make sure your student purchases Italian-made terra cotta pots.
They cost a few pennies more, but they hold up better (especially in the
kiln) and last longer than those made in Mexico.

Second, the decorations look best with contrast--if some or a lot of the
pot is left unglazed. Just dip or pour or paint as you normally would
any low-fire medium. The various band shapes around most pots lend
themselves to continous, repetitive border decorations.

Third, we used plain old commercial low-fire glazes and underglazes
(Mayco in this case) and fired them to cone 06-05. Our instructor has
always fired these pots with the other low-fire products and has had no
problems.

Glazed pots, especially if used for (watered) plants, will probably
stand up better than painted ones. And while they may not be a source of
exquisite art, pots are nice, cheap, plain-background canvases for glaze
and brush decorating practice. (If the student refuses to learn the
wheel, he may at least finish the class with some painting expertise.)

I left my class with all kinds of ideas for decorating high fire
ceramics with slip, stain, brushwork, etc., and I may take it again,
just for fun.

As far as convincing your student he should learn to throw, he may
understand that on his own, albeit a little late, when he begins to
compare his own completed flower pots with other students' more original
and creative pieces.

Or maybe this kid really leans toward the 2-dimensional arts like
painting.

Or maybe you should get the real teaching advice from the many great
Clayarters who are experienced teachers themselves. While I admire them,
I am not one of them, so I will sign off here.

Hope this helps a little.

Wendy
After all my cone 10 snobbery, really an eclectic in the world of clay.