Cone^6 glazes Electric Kiln

  The Kiln is a Skutt KM1027 Automatic 240V.  I can’t wait.  I am familar with this kiln from both the Castle Rock rec center as well as SSRC in Aurora.  Over the years even the City of Westminster rec center.  I have been reading the Master Cone^6 Glazes and have my own chemicals,etc.  I really like the Glaze Master program and have been inputting data in there for the next 60 days trial period.  The  http://www.masteringglazes.com/ web site offers a free trial period and you get the chance to test out the software.  It has a feature on it where you can batch mix your recipe to the quantity you need.  That alone saves time plus you can print out your recipe and check off the ingredients as you measure to keep you on track.  Very cool software.  Also it has a program that allows for experimenting with glazes and lets you know if it most likely will be unstable or not food safe.

The 2 pictures posted are the result of a Bisque firing at the SSRC.  I image it’s hard to ruin a bisque firing but they managed to.  And we waited over 4 months(Dec-Apr) for a gas kiln firing to take place and that was ruined as well.  They didn’t reach temp the first firing and so re-fired.  So there are alot of draw backs to a recreation center experience.  However, I learned alot at the different centers I have participated in over the years and how they run things.  I guess learning what not to do is just as valuable as to what works well.

Part of Pottery, is the learning process along with success and failures………

 

Favorite Glaze to date!

I found this POTTER on Esty.com  Her store is Onewintrynight  and her name is Karen.  I am in love with her OLIVE GLAZE.  I just love it and can’t seem to fine the recipe anywhere?  I am thinking it might be Helen’s olive Matt glaze but I can’t be sure?

Karen Is based in Northern Wisconsin and I grew up in the Midwest so I know it’s COLD there in the Winter. 

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5600587

If you get the chance check out her ESTY SHOP.  Amazing pieces! and she’s an amazing potter!~

 

Glaze testing and Colors

Well here are some of the glazes I am looking into.  I will have a cream and clear glaze as well.  I like earth tones so I am drawn to blues and browns,etc.  I think Black can make a statement as well.  It’s important to me to have my glazes tested for safety as well.  The glazes I have used so far have all been tested food safe but as I work from home, well I will have to test my new glazes as well.

There is a simple test anyone can do.  Take a lemon slice and leave it on your pottery for 3 days.  If there is a change in the glaze on the piece than it most likely is not food safe.  Since lemons have acidic qualities.

Brandywine Science Center offers glaze leach testing for potters at a very reasonable cost. The test done is the one described by EPA Test Method 0200.7 and involves a 24 hour leach with room temperature 4% glacial acetic acid (about 80% of the acidity of vinegar). If you want to have your glazes tested, instructions for doing this are readily available.  (Frog Pond Pottery).

This is mostly where I will test my glazes for food safety,etc.  I am still looking into this as well since I am just beginning to design my signature glazes. 

My kiln should be here and set-up in my garage on May 1,2008.  I can’t even wait……..I have my dinnerplates ready to be bisque fired along with bowls and vases……..

 

 

Texture on Clay Cylinder Vases

I was inspired By Cynthia at http://coloradoartstudio.com/blog/  She shares alot of her ideas online so I thought I would give it a try on something I created.  I have alot of items my grandmother made, that I really don’t know what to do with.  So I came up with the idea to add texture to my vases with the thought of trying glazes that will show up in the designs,etc.  This slide show is my attempt at showing how I do it.  Any feed back would be appreciated!

Slip Transfer onto Clay part II

Well this is Part II of slip transfer onto clay.  The clay when fired will be white with a painted design.  I think the cylinders are easier to make and less time consuming.  The square boxes have too many parts to them and not my cup of tea.  I prefer something less time consuming so I can get on to the next big thing.  I still am not able to get crisp lines in the transfer process and I have tried several different techinques.  It has me stumped at the moment.  I have designed pictures that do not require alot of thin lines until I can figure this problem out.  Still I do like the outcome and it’s another way to decorate functional pottery with a theme I enjoy…….HORSES  giddy up!

Slip Transfer

Ok so Cynthia had a slip transfer demo on her blog and I had to try it.  I am using hunter jumper,horse pictures to transfer onto clay bodys.  I am using Ash (stoneware clay smooth and white) and ducan cc under glazes.  After bisque firing I will use a clear glaze to cone ^6 firing and so it will be food safe as well.

Studio Glazes

So I have come to learn about the politics of a Recreation Center Studio.  The Lab where I have thrown is open anytime the center is open.  This makes for a very flexible throwing environment.  However, being so open and not supervised, allows for anyone to come and alter glazes,etc.  It’s a great learning environment and a place to throw within the structure of the studio set-up.  If you throw bigger or more frequently, this causes stress on the staff because their hours do not change with the added work load,etc.  So there are short comings in this environment as well.

 I also was struggling with the Studio glazes and the way they were being fired.etc.  I altered my glazes to fit my needs and even experimented with some new glazes.  I came up with CODY’s RED ( a tweek on the recreation center’s Randy’s Red) and Cody’s Cream with Specks (close to recreation center’s version of cream with specks).  I have used these glazes in my work and like the out come of them which has been more consistent than the rec center glazes.

 My inspiration for these has come from my Nephew Cody.  He has RED hair and freckles which is why I named the glazes after him.   There is a web site that makes up the glazes for you which I have found to be Very Cost affective when starting out.

http://www.glazemixer.com/communityrecipes.aspx  Here you can purchase these glazes but the recipe remains yours.

Kiln Firing

Here’s my NEW LINE of Dinner ware.  It’s Mtn stone clay with Cody’s Red (a version of Randy’s Red )and Cody’s Cream with Specks (a version of Cream with specks) for Glaze.  I really think they have come out well.  Shown are the Salad plates but I have Matching Dinner plates as well.