Cleaning up a few ash-encrusted pots this morning. Those pots closest to the fire got pretty hammered, which is what you expect. The top photo in this batch is a small cup you can see sitting serenely on the firebox floor an hour or two into the firing of the train kiln at Truro Center for the Arts at Castle Hill. In the end, it was overwhelmed by the growing bed of coals that built under the hobs. A very rough and blasted pot, but one of my favorites from this firing.
I fired this kiln with Brian Taylor, the Castle Hill ceramics guru, and friends Kim Medeiros, Gail Turner, Matt Kemp and a few other folks. Eight of us in all.
It was a good firing, though I've got about 15 pots that I will put into my own kiln for refiring. There were cool parts - the upper left rear had only cone 2 flat - and glazes did not mature back there. But I have no doubt that can be taken care of by firing in my gas kiln.
As it is, I've to a dozen or so pots that I'm in love with. Always dangerous, because that means I put ridiculously high prices on them so that I can live with them for a while. I'd like to get to the point that wood pots were not as precious to me as they are now. And I think that can only be done by firing regularly in my own wood kiln. I'm talking with a friend about that now. We'll see what happens.
Meanwhile, here are some pots from the firing. At the top is the firebox cup (the Japanese call those pots "yohen," I think.) And below that is the same pot in the firebox. Then a few more of the successful pots.
7 comments:
ooohhhh, a wood kiln at Hatchville Pottery? WOW!
I love firing with wood, but I just don't have the energy to do all that work anymore. But it is very addictive!
Wait a minute, Tracey ... I must be at least 15 years older than you. If we build it, you come up and fire.
Those pots are melting my heart. Lovely Hollis.
You do need to wood fire but all the time- naw- I still fall hard for your iron black and shino...
I was waiting with baited breath to see the results of this firing...Love them Hollis.
Any chance that an outsider could participate next time, if there is a next time?
Thanks, Meredith. I think some kind of combination is the way to go. And I appreciate your words.
Gail, all the Castle Hill firings are open for anyone who signs up. Look for Truro Center for the Arts at Castle Hill catalog online. It's about $325 to be in on a firing.
Some seriously good pots there Hollis.
I think I could get to like tea bowls if they were all as good as these.
Plus, what a beautiful understated bottle.
Many thanks, John. We got some good pots out of this firing.
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