Alisa and Claus Clausen on wed 13 sep 00
uh, hello, I did not read the original post, sorry. Being a cone 6er =
after being a tried and true and nothing else is good enough cone 9er, I =
would like to simply add my 2 cents worth. No, 20 cents worth as I am =
saving energy by firing lower. It did not come as a choice, but is what =
I have access to. Cone 6, oxidation, or no pots. Cone 6 had a brief, =
brief period with me where I felt I had to personally "validate" firing =
at this lower temp. Why is that? Was I subconscioully strongly =
influenced that cone 9 or higher is what "real" ceramists fire too? I =
like cone 6, huge variety of colors possible, plus the good browns. As =
far as a pure temp. to melt glazes at, it works for me. I think the =
biggest hump for me
to accept is not so much the temp. but the fact that I am not reducing. =
Again, I was "taught" that is the only validated sort of firing. In =
fact,
when I was at Syracuse and we were gas reducing everything like a good =
potter should, I was interested in another teacher's work, who
was not directly affiliated with our studio. She used the electric =
kilns to produce her colorful, oxidized reliefs. It was made fairly =
clear to
me that if I followed this direction, it would be tolerated, but neither =
of my teachers were able either to wholeheartedly critique my work or
felt satisfied that I chose this course. My senior project were wall =
fulls of very colorful, big tiles filled to the corners with bright =
slips, fired in electric, oxidation. One of my teachers wholeheartedly =
liked the work, minus the overly shiny transparent I used to coat the =
tiles. I think this
experience initially opened my thoughts to firings other than gas, =
reduction. My teacher, who fires only cone 9 reducs. could definitely =
see
the merit in this "electric kiln" work. A good story with a good moral. =
Be tolerant and be open and it may come back to you in a very useful =
way. How did I know then when I was 21 and freezing in Syracuse, that I =
would be 41 and freezing in Denmark, with only an elecric kiln at my =
disposal. Good to have some extra trials in the pockets.
I am bitten by the idea of firing with wood after a workshop...a whole =
different animal...but until then I very, very satisfied with cone 6.
I admit I still and always will have the respect for the cone 9 and 10 =
reduction, as it says somehow "this person understands firing" to me, =
right or not. . But you know what, if the heat melts a glaze that =
works for the pot I make, I am OK.
Best regards,
Alisa in Denmark
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