clennell on wed 21 jun 06
Lili wrote:
>=20
> I wrote about reduction firing: " Most reduced work I have seen (and done=
in
> others' kilns) is of simple glazes, many of the 1,2,3, 4 type, slamming t=
he
> air shut, and Bob's your uncle. Badly applied glazes suddenly bloom!
> Wonderful"
>=20
> And you responded:
>=20
> "Wow that=B9s simple, all this time I have obviously doing it the hard way.=
"
>=20
> Of course reduction is NOT simple! Nor is glory at c. 6, electric. Ye=
t,
> us'n c.6 electric firers are constantly being put down as simpletons, les=
ser
> potters, people without the skills, or whatever, to achieve Real
> Potterdom--which, we have been told ad nauseum, for some 50 years-- is
> REDUCTION FIRING TO C.10 OR HIGHER, PREF IN A WOODBURNER.
>=20
> Did I hit a nerve, Sam? I think I did! And that nerve in all of us
> mid-temp electric firers has been pounded for some 50-60 years. In the
> US, even HIGH temp electric firers such as Lucie Rie, and Hans Coper, an=
d
> [Sir] Emmanuel Cooper, and Eileen Lewenstein, and Sheila Fournier, and ma=
ny
> others, do not get the recognition they deserve. Fore very instance one =
of
> them is mentioned on ClayArt there are, I will bet, at least five mention=
s
> of Leach, Hamada, not to mention Voulkos, Solder, Troy and their ilk. (H=
ere
> "ilk" actually is used correctly!)
>=20
> As I think my post will show you, upon re-reading, people who are in an
> existential situation get weary of being "corrected", "adjusted",
> "criticized" and whatever for not being en vogue or in the predominant mo=
de.
> People who are out of the current fashion, are not lesser, or defective,=
or
> something like that. They simply are not en vogue....
>=20
> So thank you, Sam for making my point, and I hope all your reduction firi=
ngs
> come out swell.
>=20
>=20
Dear Lili: It has long been unwisely taught that their is a royalty of
firing methods
in decending order. This list is what is bothersome to you and I understand
completely since my uncle fired with electric for 30 years of his career.
wood
oil
gas
electric
now with the new attention to veggie oil it is probably somewhere between
oil and wood in the hierarchy.
For those of us that look and appreciate pots I don't think we give a dang
how the chef made the pizza. It must be easy on the eyes and the stomach. I
maintain the electric kiln is like a toaster that doesn't add any jam. The
other firing methods add some jam for the potter. Potters that are able to
make beautiful and successful work in their electric toasters have to be
smart enough to add the jam themselves. There is no doubt it is harder to
apply the jam and easier to fire the kiln. Either way ya got work to do.
I have seen some of the ugliest pots on this earth come from the most
beautiful of kilns and I have seen some heavenly pots come from the ugliest
of kilns.
Kilns are just instruments that in the hands of a great cook make great
feasts for the eyes.
Bon appetite!
Tony
>=20
>=20
>=20
>=20
>=20
>=20
>=20
>=20
>=20
Norman Aufrichtig on wed 21 jun 06
yes, by adding the jam i get some amazing glaze results, and beautiful po=
ts
from an electric kiln, but the problem, when one puts skillful throwing a=
nd
trimming into the pot, the jam covers it all and softens the form, i love
seeing the spontaneity of the throwing. not complaining, just the price i
pay for the conveyance of electric.
norman
----- Original Message -----
From: "clennell"
To:
Sent: Wednesday, June 21, 2006 7:15 AM
Subject: [CLAYART] The Royalty of Firing
> Lili wrote:
> >
> > I wrote about reduction firing: " Most reduced work I have seen (and
done in
> > others' kilns) is of simple glazes, many of the 1,2,3, 4 type, slammi=
ng
the
> > air shut, and Bob's your uncle. Badly applied glazes suddenly bloom!
> > Wonderful"
> >
> > And you responded:
> >
> > "Wow that=B9s simple, all this time I have obviously doing it the har=
d
way."
> >
> > Of course reduction is NOT simple! Nor is glory at c. 6, electric.
Yet,
> > us'n c.6 electric firers are constantly being put down as simpletons,
lesser
> > potters, people without the skills, or whatever, to achieve Real
> > Potterdom--which, we have been told ad nauseum, for some 50 years-- i=
s
> > REDUCTION FIRING TO C.10 OR HIGHER, PREF IN A WOODBURNER.
> >
> > Did I hit a nerve, Sam? I think I did! And that nerve in all of us
> > mid-temp electric firers has been pounded for some 50-60 years. In
the
> > US, even HIGH temp electric firers such as Lucie Rie, and Hans Coper=
,
and
> > [Sir] Emmanuel Cooper, and Eileen Lewenstein, and Sheila Fournier, an=
d
many
> > others, do not get the recognition they deserve. Fore very instance =
one
of
> > them is mentioned on ClayArt there are, I will bet, at least five
mentions
> > of Leach, Hamada, not to mention Voulkos, Solder, Troy and their ilk.
(Here
> > "ilk" actually is used correctly!)
> >
> > As I think my post will show you, upon re-reading, people who are in =
an
> > existential situation get weary of being "corrected", "adjusted",
> > "criticized" and whatever for not being en vogue or in the predominan=
t
mode.
> > People who are out of the current fashion, are not lesser, or
defective, or
> > something like that. They simply are not en vogue....
> >
> > So thank you, Sam for making my point, and I hope all your reduction
firings
> > come out swell.
> >
> >
>
> Dear Lili: It has long been unwisely taught that their is a royalty of
> firing methods
> in decending order. This list is what is bothersome to you and I
understand
> completely since my uncle fired with electric for 30 years of his caree=
r.
> wood
> oil
> gas
> electric
> now with the new attention to veggie oil it is probably somewhere betwe=
en
> oil and wood in the hierarchy.
> For those of us that look and appreciate pots I don't think we give a d=
ang
> how the chef made the pizza. It must be easy on the eyes and the stomac=
h.
I
> maintain the electric kiln is like a toaster that doesn't add any jam. =
The
> other firing methods add some jam for the potter. Potters that are able=
to
> make beautiful and successful work in their electric toasters have to b=
e
> smart enough to add the jam themselves. There is no doubt it is harder =
to
> apply the jam and easier to fire the kiln. Either way ya got work to d=
o.
> I have seen some of the ugliest pots on this earth come from the most
> beautiful of kilns and I have seen some heavenly pots come from the
ugliest
> of kilns.
> Kilns are just instruments that in the hands of a great cook make great
> feasts for the eyes.
> Bon appetite!
> Tony
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
> >
>
>
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