Sylvia See on wed 5 jan 00
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We had a really great primitive firing in Claresholm, on New Years Eve. We =
fired
over 200 pieces, ranging in work done from folks from the neighbors baby of
about 16 months, to some of us oldies in their 60's. There was too many =
pieces
to fire in the brick kiln, so we also filled my raku kiln, which is an old 7=
cu
ft, altered electric kiln. The brick kiln was 4ft wide, 4 ft high and 8 ft =
long,
and worked like a charm. We used kerosene along the outside edge of the =
sawdust,
and it gave us a really good start to the firing. The burner ports and flues
with metal covers over the top, leaving just a crack for air to the bottom =
of
the kiln worked really great. We started the firing at noon on New Years =
Eve,
and it was finished and cold on Sunday. This was a surprise as I thought it
would take several days to burn the large kiln. However, we closed it right =
up
as soon as it had a good burn started, and it got really hot, and burned =
much
faster than expected. I put several layers of fiberfax over the sheet of
galvanized metal we used for a lid. The fire was hot enough to give alot of =
red
flashes on the pieces from white clay. All of the pieces with red flashings =
had
been washed with bluestone and the marking were really great. Many of the
childrens pieces were quite spectacular. A four year old did an amazing =
piece
that she said was under the sea. She even had tracks in the sand and she =
used
the garlic press to give the movement over the rocks. I was really amazed at=
the
piece and her dad could hardly see over his puffed chest. The girl guides =
circle
of friends picked up alot of red flashings, and the bottom was inscribed =
with
their names, and they were really excited with it. Pieces ranged from breast
plates, large masks, tall vases and tall pitchers, dragon wall hangings and
masks, to handbuild items, extruded boxes, wheel-thrown pots, some burnished=
and
some not. Work was done with sculpture clay, low fire regular clay, red and
white, mid fire clay, red and white, and high fire white clay. Interesting =
there
was very little color or markings on the low fire clay, and spectacular =
markings
and color on the high fire clay, red and white.
I started phoning everyone that had work in the kiln at noon on Sunday =
and
told them we were going to unload at 2 pm. as a storm was blowing in. =
Everyone
showed up for the unloading, and the press arrived at 2pm. We had coffee and
leftover Christmas goodies to finish off the day as everyone helped with the
unloading, washing the work, and a great time was had by all. Thanks Chris =
from
Claresholm. Great idea. Now I have folks wanting to buy the work. What the =
heck
do you charge for millennium pieces. My friend has a wonderful mask with =
2000
millennium symbols on it, 1/2 washed bluestone, and 1/2 with graphite wash. =
It
is awesome. I told her if folks were ready to spend 5000 for tickets to a =
drunk
on New Years Eve, then that piece was worth at least that. It's tough to =
part
with them, let alone know what to charge.
Happy New Year to all from Claresholm, warm and brightly light, in the =
warmest
winter anyone can remember.
Sylvia See Claresholm, Alberta sylviac=40telusplanet.net
Slightly high from wax fumes as I waxed over 100 pieces today. Thank heavens=
for
Future Floor wax.
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