Test Firing Results!

In my last post I wrote about the experiments we have been doing with new glazes using local raw materials. We fired just the front chamber of Mark's new wood kiln (built in 2007) with a whole bunch of test glazes and glaze combinations. Now all of the pots have been sanded down and put out on the shelves for this weekends pop up sale. The results of the firing were pleasing on the whole. We learned a lot, figuring out which glazes work, which don't, and which to use slips under each.

Below are a smattering of pots, not necessarily the best of the bunch, just a sampler to show some of the different results. It was getting dark when I took these snaps so the colours aren't as bright as in real life, but anyway first up here are some of mine...

Shino yunomi.
Celadon yunomi on left, ash glaze on right.
Ash glaze sppon holder on left and celadon on the right with red slip trailed under.
Celadon barrel mug with red slip dots, ash glaze dipped over on the rim.
Shino tumblers with iron and manganese slips trailed under.
 Now some of Adrian's...

Albany slip vase over wiped red slip.
I am actually unsure of what glaze combo this is. Will have to ask Adrian!

Various mixing bowls.
Celadon mixing bowl with red slip decoration.
Small bowl with nuka glaze over red slip swirls.
Pair of tumblers with white glaze swishes over celadon (plus 1% iron oxide).
Same as the tumblers above.
And a few of Marks...

Large platter with one glaze on top of another with wax resist rings.
Celadon vases. These look super in the sub: a shiny light translucent blue. Very nice.
Celadon serving bowls with red slip trailed and dotted underneath.
Celadon over sgraffito decoration.
Celadon over red slip.
Ash glaze stein. Look close and you can see the head and arms of a sgraffito lizard.

This glaze is called Rocky 12, believe it or not.
Close up of the Rocky 12 surface.
Celadon serving bowl with red slip dots under.
Getting ready for the sale.
Four medium sized pots from the salt kiln, out on sale this weekend.
To end on here are a few pots in progress in the studio. Mark has been making some gigantic pots for the next firing as the side door to the second chamber of this kiln is larger than in the salt kiln. Each of these pots take four people to move and weigh between 250-350lbs!

Big unfired pots.
Ribbon vase (unfired). I'm excited to see how this one turns out.
 And finally here's one of my fishy casserole dishes. First attempt at a slip trailed fish!

Fish stew anyone?