Alan Stewart on thu 14 mar 02
Just a quick note to introduce myself before I start asking for help. (I
can't be the only person to start out on this list by asking for help...)
I'm Alan Stewart, and my partner Julia Speer and I are opening a pottery
studio here in Acworth, Ga., called the Clay Lizard. My previous career
(actually my previous life) was as a translator for the U.S. Navy. I
retired about four years ago, at the ripe old age of 40, and decided to try
something entirely different. I've been puttering (pottering?) around
ceramics for about two years now, enough to want to see what I could do
full-time. Julia's been teaching elementary art in the public schools for
several years, and she's reached a point where she wants to do her own art
work while still getting her regular mommy fix. She'll be handbuilding and
teaching, while I'll be throwing, handbuilding, making tiles, and getting my
Daddy fix indirectly. (We both have daughters who've moved on into their
own lives in recent years, and--can you tell?--we both feel the lack.)
We found the studio last November, after looking at numerous cramped, dim,
run-down, overpriced spaces in and around Atlanta. It's a 120-year old
brick building in the old town, a stone's throw from the railroad tracks
(we're getting used to the noise slowly). It has one single space of about
1800 square feet, with beautiful brick walls and wood floors, warm with reds
and golden browns, and there's potential living space in the back of about
700 sq feet. It was a photography studio for about ten years, and before
that a neighborhood grocery for about fifty years.
We moved in in January, and have been getting the place ready as a studio.
I've built work tables, the slab roller table, set up the extruder, gotten
an old kickwheel into shape, set up the kiln and done our first firing (more
about that later), reworked (with help) the plumbing, electricity and
installed the kitchen. We also got through most of the inspections, the
legal paperwork, and registering the web site (although right now it's just
e-mail), and we're just on the verge (FINALLY!) of getting into production.
There'll be a small retails space out front, a large (large for me, anyway)
studio space in the middle and (when we get the zoning figured out) living
space in the back. The kiln is in the basement, and I'm itching to get into
production...I have several pieces already drying, more in process, and
designs on the boards that are calling my name...
Anyway, that's the introduction. Looking forward to being an active part of
this list, although I expect to be doing more asking than answering at
first. More later...
Alan Stewart
The Clay Lizard Studio
4358-A Southside Dr.
Acworth, GA 30101
alan@claylizard.com
678-574-4146
Catherine White on mon 23 sep 02
My used Paragon is an 18" x 20" dp. I fire to cone 10. Even matte glazes now
have a shine. The top shelf seems to produce the glossiest results. I
assume it's the hottest area. Last night I fired using five shelves to hold
approx. 40 glaze test "mice" and disk type plates. The kiln took longer to
heat..... 12 hours to trip the sitter rather than the 9.5 hours usual time
in cooler weather. The kiln is outside so the cooling time was delayed with
our hot Yuma, AZ temps.
Is it possible that new switches and kiln sitter could have any effect on
the power? I don't see how. The elements are the same ones that produced
better (less shiny) results this past spring.
Would firing my cone 10 glazes to cone 9 in the sitter be worth a try? I
love matte glazes.
I should have tried a cone 11 witness cone along with the 9 and 10. And in
several areas of the kiln.
Thanks all,
Catherine in 110º Arizona
Catherine White on wed 25 sep 02
This is a follow-up to my question about the kiln firing too hot. I redid
all new test tiles using the same glazes, but fired to ^8 instead of ^10. I
place witness cone pads on all three shelves. All bent at ^8. The thing is
that the tests are beautiful. There are some glossies as expected, but the
mattes are rich. There's such variegation in some of the 30 tests.
I wondered at the commonality of the failure at ^10 and the success at ^8.
Our water here is so loaded with mineral salts that the city recommends
using only soaker or drip watering systems as the water is damaging to the
foliage. Could the water be acting as a flux? Any input will be
appreciated. I'm still a tyro.
Catherine in Yuma, AZ
Two ancient electric kilns. One Paragon 18" x 20".
One in-process Crusader 24"X 27" Both outside.
It never rains here at the Mexican border.
One partner, one kid, three cats.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Catherine White"
To:
Sent: Monday, September 23, 2002 3:56 PM
Subject: Kiln firing too hot?
My used Paragon is an 18" x 20" dp. I fire to cone 10. Even matte glazes now
have a shine. The top shelf seems to produce the glossiest results. I
assume it's the hottest area. Last night I fired using five shelves to hold
approx. 40 glaze test "mice" and disk type plates. The kiln took longer to
heat..... 12 hours to trip the sitter rather than the 9.5 hours usual time
in cooler weather. The kiln is outside so the cooling time was delayed with
our hot Yuma, AZ temps.
Is it possible that new switches and kiln sitter could have any effect on
the power? I don't see how. The elements are the same ones that produced
better (less shiny) results this past spring.
Would firing my cone 10 glazes to cone 9 in the sitter be worth a try? I
love matte glazes.
I should have tried a cone 11 witness cone along with the 9 and 10. And in
several areas of the kiln.
Thanks all,
Catherine in 110º Arizona
____________________________________________________________________________
__
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.
| |
|
