Dave Gayman on sat 2 mar 02
Those 6 might take on new meaning for you.
I won't recount my pre-art-fair kiln-load loss due to clay with too much
free silica -- 100 cu. foot load, and we ate only because my wife over many
months had carefully salted pieces at shops, and the money came in from
ongoing sales of those.
It's a second story I'll recount here.
My son, Nate, was around 7 when I tried an electric kiln-load (8 cu ft) of
porcelain, a new experiment for me. Had to clean the studio to prevent
contamination with my stoneware clay, clean the tools, clean the wheel,
clean and re-kiln-wash the shelves... well, at some point during the
firing, the shelves pulled a full helical collapse, twisting clockwise as
the lower shelf posts lost their balance, bringing each shelf down upon
piece after piece, bending, splitting, embedding shelf in them.... I was
able to salvage four pieces, three of which I sold. The fourth I
kept. What was left over from my batch of porcelain went to a friend.
Last November, as Nate was turning 28, we asked what he wanted for his
birthday. He pointed to the porcelain piece that, for me, represented the
last vestige of beauty snatched from disaster, and the last porcelain piece
I ever made. It took me many days to come round, but he found it among his
stack of birthday gifts.
May your 6 serve as well as this.
In commiseration,
Dave
Once a potter and now, happily, a dabbler
At 12:03 PM 3/2/2002 -0700, you wrote:
> everything shy of about 6 pieces blew up.
Paul Herman on sat 2 mar 02
Pat,
My heart goes out to you and your husband for the disaster.
You have a bunch of fellow clayarters who have had these kinds of
experiences. We all have our awful crashes of one kind or another, and
mine was a kiln incident, except it was the KILN that exploded, not the
pots! A case of candling with a too large burner, blown out, gas
accumulation, combined with ignorant young potter, match in hand. Bricks
went everywhere, the arch went up and hit the roof and came back down on
the top shelf of pots. Knocked me on my ass, but unhurt, good lesson.
So then I had to clean up the mess. While taking out the brickpile with
a wheelbarrow I noticed that all the lower shelves were unbroken and the
pots ok. The bricks all went outward with the explosion, leaving the
stack of pots sitting there in the middle of a pile of soft brick.
I rebuilt the kiln and fired them, and then things were better. So I
agree with one of the other posts, that the best thing to do is to get
going on the next batch, and try to make them better than the last.
Reading about Palissy in 15th century (?) France is good for inspiration
as an example of fortitude in the face of ongoing pottery disaster.
Best wishes, Paul in Doyle, where I learned (:o( about propane.
----------
>From: Pat Lindemann
>To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
>Subject: Kiln disasters and loss
>Date: Sat, Mar 2, 2002, 11:03 AM
>
> CLAYART Digest - 28 Feb 2002 to 1 Mar 2002 (#2002-61)I tend to be a lurker
> on this list, only submitting things once in a while. But right now, today
> - I need to share with another potter, and you guys are it.
noel on sat 2 mar 02
Pat,
I believe we are all feeling for you, as we have each had our share of
disasters.
Time to start a great shard garden? Maybe a wonderful mosaic? Or better
yet, a hole full of shards to confuse later generations!!!
At least Hubby's heart was in the right place.
Ms Noel, another lurker!
----- Original Message -----
From: "Pat Lindemann"
To:
Sent: Saturday, March 02, 2002 2:03 PM
Subject: Kiln disasters and loss
CLAYART Digest - 28 Feb 2002 to 1 Mar 2002 (#2002-61)I tend to be a lurker
on this list, only submitting things once in a while. But right now,
today - I need to share with another potter, and you guys are it.
In an effort to let me sleep in, my husband lit the burners on a kiln I had
the pilot light on all night. Now he has never done this before, and I know
he was trying to help me. He is a dear man.
But he put them on WAY too high and everything shy of about 6 pieces blew
up. When I got up to light the burners, he mentioned he had done it for me
and...well, the rest is shards. I know its only pots-- not a human life,
its only clay. I shouldn't whine or feel so bad, but I honestly sat down
and sobbed as I unloaded it all and cleaned out the kiln. It was about 3
months work. Its not like we are not going to eat because of this...it just
sucks!
I have had small kiln disasters before, but never one like this...
Pat- sorting shards in SD
____________________________________________________________________________
__
Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
melpots@pclink.com.
Pat Lindemann on sat 2 mar 02
CLAYART Digest - 28 Feb 2002 to 1 Mar 2002 (#2002-61)I tend to be a =
lurker on this list, only submitting things once in a while. But right =
now, today - I need to share with another potter, and you guys are it.
In an effort to let me sleep in, my husband lit the burners on a kiln I =
had the pilot light on all night. Now he has never done this before, =
and I know he was trying to help me. He is a dear man.
But he put them on WAY too high and everything shy of about 6 pieces =
blew up. When I got up to light the burners, he mentioned he had done =
it for me and...well, the rest is shards. I know its only pots-- not a =
human life, its only clay. I shouldn't whine or feel so bad, but I =
honestly sat down and sobbed as I unloaded it all and cleaned out the =
kiln. It was about 3 months work. Its not like we are not going to eat =
because of this...it just sucks!
I have had small kiln disasters before, but never one like this...
Pat- sorting shards in SD
Terrance Lazaroff on sat 2 mar 02
Don't feel too bad Pat. I too lost a kiln of pots once. It was the glaze
firing. A brick fell from the MFT roof and my entire lot was speckled with
bits and pieces of brick dust. Same as you. Three months work.
Terrance
----- Original Message -----
From: "Pat Lindemann"
To:
Sent: Saturday, March 02, 2002 2:03 PM
Subject: Kiln disasters and loss
CLAYART Digest - 28 Feb 2002 to 1 Mar 2002 (#2002-61)I tend to be a lurker
on this list, only submitting things once in a while. But right now,
today - I need to share with another potter, and you guys are it.
In an effort to let me sleep in, my husband lit the burners on a kiln I had
the pilot light on all night. Now he has never done this before, and I know
he was trying to help me. He is a dear man.
But he put them on WAY too high and everything shy of about 6 pieces blew
up. When I got up to light the burners, he mentioned he had done it for me
and...well, the rest is shards. I know its only pots-- not a human life,
its only clay. I shouldn't whine or feel so bad, but I honestly sat down
and sobbed as I unloaded it all and cleaned out the kiln. It was about 3
months work. Its not like we are not going to eat because of this...it just
sucks!
I have had small kiln disasters before, but never one like this...
Pat- sorting shards in SD
____________________________________________________________________________
__
Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
melpots@pclink.com.
Ann Brink on sat 2 mar 02
SO SORRY about the kiln disaster. 3 months WORK!
Imagine HUGS from us all.
Ann Brink in CA
----- Original Message -----
From: "Pat Lindemann"
To:
Sent: Saturday, March 02, 2002 11:03 AM
Subject: Kiln disasters and loss
CLAYART Digest - 28 Feb 2002 to 1 Mar 2002 (#2002-61)I tend to be a lurker
on this list, only submitting things once in a while. But right now,
today - I need to share with another potter, and you guys are it.
In an effort to let me sleep in, my husband lit the burners on a kiln I had
the pilot light on all night. Now he has never done this before, and I know
he was trying to help me. He is a dear man.
But he put them on WAY too high and everything shy of about 6 pieces blew
up. When I got up to light the burners, he mentioned he had done it for me
and...well, the rest is shards. I know its only pots-- not a human life,
its only clay. I shouldn't whine or feel so bad, but I honestly sat down
and sobbed as I unloaded it all and cleaned out the kiln. It was about 3
months work. Its not like we are not going to eat because of this...it just
sucks!
I have had small kiln disasters before, but never one like this...
Pat- sorting shards in SD
____________________________________________________________________________
__
Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
melpots@pclink.com.
Jennifer F Boyer on sat 2 mar 02
At least it wasn't YOUR bad: An apprentice of mine once filled
my 36 cu ft gas kiln with her pots. She had lovingly
kiln-washed every shelf beforehand. With GLAZE. She paid for the
sand blasting.....Actually if there are any sizable pieces of
pot left, find a wall to hurl them against. Very satisfying.
With goggles of course! Unfortunately it won't be the last
disaster you have as a potter: goes with the territory. The way
I deal with one(there have been many) is to start making the
next kiln load as soon as possible.
Take Care
Jennifer
Terrance Lazaroff wrote:
>
> Don't feel too bad Pat. I too lost a kiln of pots once. It was the glaze
> firing. A brick fell from the MFT roof and my entire lot was speckled with
> bits and pieces of brick dust. Same as you. Three months work.
>
> Terrance
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Pat Lindemann"
> To:
> Sent: Saturday, March 02, 2002 2:03 PM
> Subject: Kiln disasters and loss
>
> CLAYART Digest - 28 Feb 2002 to 1 Mar 2002 (#2002-61)I tend to be a lurker
> on this list, only submitting things once in a while. But right now,
> today - I need to share with another potter, and you guys are it.
>
> In an effort to let me sleep in, my husband lit the burners on a kiln I had
> the pilot light on all night. Now he has never done this before, and I know
> he was trying to help me. He is a dear man.
>
> But he put them on WAY too high and everything shy of about 6 pieces blew
> up. When I got up to light the burners, he mentioned he had done it for me
> and...well, the rest is shards. I know its only pots-- not a human life,
> its only clay. I shouldn't whine or feel so bad, but I honestly sat down
> and sobbed as I unloaded it all and cleaned out the kiln. It was about 3
> months work. Its not like we are not going to eat because of this...it just
> sucks!
>
> I have had small kiln disasters before, but never one like this...
>
> Pat- sorting shards in SD
>
> ____________________________________________________________________________
> __
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
> melpots@pclink.com.
>
> ______________________________________________________________________________
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at melpots@pclink.com.
--
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Jennifer Boyer mailto:jboyer@adelphia.net
Thistle Hill Pottery
95 Powder Horn Glen Rd
Montpelier, VT 05602 USA
802-223-8926
http://www.thistlehillpottery.com/
Never pass on an email warning without checking out this site
for web hoaxes and junk:
http://urbanlegends.about.com/
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Judith Frederick on sun 3 mar 02
Pat,
I am so sorry to hear about your disaster. Surely your husband was
trying to help but you are totally entitled to be mornful of this event.
Yes it is only pots, but it is also your heart and sole that goes into them.
The lose is not just pots as much as the lose of part of you that goes
into your work. I am not a potter for a living but I do get very attached
to my work and would react the same way you did if this happened to me. Did
your husband share your grief, I'm sure he does. It was a hard lesson to
learn but it will be one he too remembers. Try not to dwell on it, though I
would find that very hard to do. Take care and be happy. Remember this:
"you're never to old to play in the mud...........Stay centered"
Judy Frederick fellow clayarter in MD
>From: Pat Lindemann
>Reply-To: Ceramic Arts Discussion List
>To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
>Subject: Kiln disasters and loss
>Date: Sat, 2 Mar 2002 12:03:17 -0700
>
>CLAYART Digest - 28 Feb 2002 to 1 Mar 2002 (#2002-61)I tend to be a lurker
>on this list, only submitting things once in a while. But right now, today
>- I need to share with another potter, and you guys are it.
>
>In an effort to let me sleep in, my husband lit the burners on a kiln I had
>the pilot light on all night. Now he has never done this before, and I
>know he was trying to help me. He is a dear man.
>
>But he put them on WAY too high and everything shy of about 6 pieces blew
>up. When I got up to light the burners, he mentioned he had done it for me
>and...well, the rest is shards. I know its only pots-- not a human life,
>its only clay. I shouldn't whine or feel so bad, but I honestly sat down
>and sobbed as I unloaded it all and cleaned out the kiln. It was about 3
>months work. Its not like we are not going to eat because of this...it
>just sucks!
>
>I have had small kiln disasters before, but never one like this...
>
>Pat- sorting shards in SD
>
>______________________________________________________________________________
>Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
>You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
>settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
>Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
>melpots@pclink.com.
_________________________________________________________________
Chat with friends online, try MSN Messenger: http://messenger.msn.com
Michele Williams on sun 3 mar 02
Pat,
You have a lot of lemons from which to make lemonade. Could you use any of
these shards for mosaics? Or sell them to a mosaic artist? Salvage in some
way might help you feel better about it.
(Hubby might feel better too--you make the design, block it out in clay, and
he can put the right color pieces in right beside you.)
Michele Williams
----- Original Message -----
From: "Pat Lindemann"
To:
Sent: Saturday, March 02, 2002 2:03 PM
Subject: Kiln disasters and loss
CLAYART Digest - 28 Feb 2002 to 1 Mar 2002 (#2002-61)I tend to be a lurker
on this list, only submitting things once in a while. But right now,
today - I need to share with another potter, and you guys are it.
In an effort to let me sleep in, my husband lit the burners on a kiln I had
the pilot light on all night. Now he has never done this before, and I know
he was trying to help me. He is a dear man.
But he put them on WAY too high and everything shy of about 6 pieces blew
up. When I got up to light the burners, he mentioned he had done it for me
and...well, the rest is shards. I know its only pots-- not a human life,
its only clay. I shouldn't whine or feel so bad, but I honestly sat down
and sobbed as I unloaded it all and cleaned out the kiln. It was about 3
months work. Its not like we are not going to eat because of this...it just
sucks!
I have had small kiln disasters before, but never one like this...
Pat- sorting shards in SD
____________________________________________________________________________
__
Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
melpots@pclink.com.
Martin Howard on sun 3 mar 02
Yes, we all have kiln disasters. Horrid at the time.
What helps me at that time, is thinking about some poor archaeologist, 2 or
3 thousands years from now, scratching his or her head, trying to make sense
of our broken shards and trying to get some picture of our civilisation from
those kiln disasters.
So don't shovel the shards away as waste. Bury them with due honour for
posterity.
Martin Howard
Webbs Cottage Pottery
Woolpits Road, Great Saling
BRAINTREE, Essex CM7 5DZ
01371 850 423
martin@webbscottage.co.uk
http://www.webbscottage.co.uk
Updated 8th February 2002
Working Potter on sun 3 mar 02
Dear Pat,
I suspect that any of us who have been in this field for the long haul have
had kiln disasters.It is unfortunate it had to happen wen he thought he was
helping too.He must feel terrible when he was only trying to help you.You
must have a need to do the primal scream thing yourself.Loss can come in many
forms and with many faces in life and just remember pots can be remade but
our loved ones are only on loan and were they not here for us antlonger they
will never be replaced, Don't let this harm your love for each other.
It is just one of those things you hav to get over.My grandmother was
stoking her furnace one day when grandad handed her his cash from a month's
work on the rrailroad as an engineer and she in talking to him absentmindedly
tossed the cash in the fire as he looked on in horror.
I as a child got the mail at the bus stop and one snowy day a check for a
huge contract dad had spent a lt of work on that had employed paid help
was dropped in the snow on my 1/2 mile walk home.The client refused to make
it good when he was told it never got there and dad had to get a mortgage
to pay for the equipment and manpower until the snow and ice melted and I
finally found the letter the next spring.My parents never raised their
voices to me but I could hear their anguish behind closed doors and I ached
to fix things but couldn't until much damage had been done.
I can only suggest you teach your husband the fine points of firing so he can
really help next time and do pick yourself up and have the heart to go on
and let him do something else that will truly be of help so he can feel he
has redeamed himself in your eyes.Tell him if you ever screw up he owes you
one for this,lol[smiling].Someday it will be your turn, life is that way
My condolences for all the hard work lost but like we try to tell the
mother who suffered the miscarriage[my neice just did] that there may have
been a reason that we may never know that this had to happen....
Keep your chin up and look foreward to the next cycle and hope for a better
day.
Misty
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