vince pitelka on sun 27 aug 00
> With regards to gas-fired reduction pots I have always felt that glaze
> drips which glued pots to shelves, etc demonstrated failure to control the
> materials with which I was working, and therefore have had a Zero
Tolerance
> to ground bottoms and lids on these type pieces.
> Now I find myself also working with wood and salt firing techniques and
> have experienced some "stuck on" pots. Several peers I ask are of the
> general opinion that some grinding is acceptable, within reason...that is,
> the occasional glued on wad-clay, or one drip on the foot making the piece
> wobble on a level surface. Some have felt that "all grinding is okay",
> since you cannot accurately control salt and ash deposits, while others
> have felt that stuck on lids were not accepted grinding. Part of wood &
> salt firing IS learning to control (somewhat) the these materials through
> pots designed to tolerate unpredictable deposits, hence my dilemma.
I suppose it is all in the amount of grinding demanded. I think it is a
real shame to toss a good pot which just has some glaze runs which can
easily be ground and polished. This is an individual, personal thing. The
materials we work with and the firing processes we use are always fickle to
some extent, and we cannot and should not expect to ever gain absolute
control. To me, absolute control would completely take the romance and
mystery out of it. What we seek is a comfortable familiarity with the
materials and processes so that we may orchestrate maximum chance of
success, but always with that element of risk which ultimately produces the
very best wares.
With a good grinding wheel, and an abrasive flap wheel to polish the ground
surfaces, you can deal with occasional glaze runs and end up with a
beautiful bottom surface. Having the evidence of this on the bottom of a
pot does not relegate the pot to the shard pile, especially on salt and
wood-fired pot.
Runs on the lid? I wouldn't waste my time with that, especially if the
glaze runs are within the lid gallery. Evidence would remain, and would
always seem like a flaw. That may seem arbitrary. To me, it seems OK to
grind the bottom, not to grind the lid, unless it is a very minor spot of
glaze.
I should qualify all this by saying that if the runs are very serious,
especially if they are recurring, then it would be unwise and unethical to
repeatedly rely on grinding the bottoms (unless you are doing
macrocrystalline glazes, of course). Figure out what you are doing wrong
and modify your glaze recipe, your glazing process, and/or your firing
temperature.
Best wishes -
- Vince
Vince Pitelka
Home - vpitelka@dekalb.net
615/597-5376
Work - wpitelka@tntech.edu
615/597-6801 ext. 111, fax 615/597-6803
Appalachian Center for Crafts
Tennessee Technological University
1560 Craft Center Drive, Smithville TN 37166
http://www.craftcenter.tntech.edu/
Kenneth D. Westfall on sun 27 aug 00
Clayart folks,
I have a question of accepted ethics within our field. How much is too
much or is none acceptable?
With regards to gas-fired reduction pots I have always felt that glaze
drips which glued pots to shelves, etc demonstrated failure to control the
materials with which I was working, and therefore have had a Zero Tolerance
to ground bottoms and lids on these type pieces.
Now I find myself also working with wood and salt firing techniques and
have experienced some "stuck on" pots. Several peers I ask are of the
general opinion that some grinding is acceptable, within reason...that is,
the occasional glued on wad-clay, or one drip on the foot making the piece
wobble on a level surface. Some have felt that "all grinding is okay",
since you cannot accurately control salt and ash deposits, while others
have felt that stuck on lids were not accepted grinding. Part of wood &
salt firing IS learning to control (somewhat) the these materials through
pots designed to tolerate unpredictable deposits, hence my dilemma.
When comparing these to my gas-fired ethics, I cringe at anything more than
smoothing off a wad kiss so that it isn't sharp.
What are others' opinions?
Thank you,
Kenneth D. Westfall
Pine Hill Pottery
R.D. #2 Box 6AA
Harrisville, WV 26362
pinehill@ruralnet.org
http://www.pinehillpottery.com
Earl Brunner on sun 27 aug 00
Do you know what they do to the bottoms of crystalline pots?
Drips don't always bother me. I bought a soda fired pot at
Ft Worth NCECA from a potter at Archie Bray that has a big
glaze drip on the bottom, the pot wont sit flat on the
shelf. I'm glad she didn't grind the drip off.
"Kenneth D. Westfall" wrote:
>
> Clayart folks,
> I have a question of accepted ethics within our field. How much is too
> much or is none acceptable?
> With regards to gas-fired reduction pots I have always felt that glaze
> drips which glued pots to shelves, etc demonstrated failure to control the
> materials with which I was working, and therefore have had a Zero Tolerance
> to ground bottoms and lids on these type pieces.
>
> Now I find myself also working with wood and salt firing techniques and
> have experienced some "stuck on" pots. Several peers I ask are of the
> general opinion that some grinding is acceptable, within reason...that is,
> the occasional glued on wad-clay, or one drip on the foot making the piece
> wobble on a level surface. Some have felt that "all grinding is okay",
> since you cannot accurately control salt and ash deposits, while others
> have felt that stuck on lids were not accepted grinding. Part of wood &
> salt firing IS learning to control (somewhat) the these materials through
> pots designed to tolerate unpredictable deposits, hence my dilemma.
>
> When comparing these to my gas-fired ethics, I cringe at anything more than
> smoothing off a wad kiss so that it isn't sharp.
> What are others' opinions?
> Thank you,
>
> Kenneth D. Westfall
> Pine Hill Pottery
> R.D. #2 Box 6AA
> Harrisville, WV 26362
> pinehill@ruralnet.org
> http://www.pinehillpottery.com
>
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--
Earl Brunner
http://coyote.accessnv.com/bruec
mailto:bruec@anv.net
Nicole Simmons on mon 28 aug 00
IMO, the glaze drips, stuck pots, and the like are what make salt glazing
fun. These are always the pots everyone wants, because they have character.
The most sought after pot from the firings I have participated in is a
pitcher that stuck to the wall. The second would be a crock that the fire
only reached one side. The third would be a tower of crocks with one jug on
top, people begged us not to take them apart, all it took was a simple pop
with a rubber hammer.
As I reflect on it, I have a large collection of pre 1900 USA wood-fired
salt glaze ware, almost every piece has some type of "flaw" that makes it a
beautiful pot. I think that is what makes woodfiring with salt so exciting,
you never know what you are going to get. If I got the same result
everytime I don't think I would continue to fire wood and salt but would
stick with the electric kiln.
Nikki
Who has watched Elmo three times already today.
Jeff Lawrence on thu 31 aug 00
Hello Kenneth,
I personally think you are misusing the term "ethics". This word implies a
moral imperative when what you are suffering from is a surreal aesthetic
ideal.
Unless, you really want to charge anyone who likes a drip of glaze with
moral turpitude, you might wish to restrict your use of the word with its
canonical meaning and select another, more personally oriented one for this
thread.
I understand your impulse and laud it, though. Careful reasoning can always
prove that the highest heights are unattainable. Only the unreasonable can
scale them.
logophiliacally yours,
Jeff
Jeff Lawrence ph. 505-753-5913
Sun Dagger Design fx. 505-753-8074
18496 US HWY 285/84 jml@sundagger.com
Espanola, NM 87532 www.sundagger.com
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