The Good and Bad of Wood Firing
We unloaded the wood kiln this past weekend. Unloading any kiln has often been compared to Christmas. You know how it is. You feel joyful anticipation, you can't wait to see what's inside that package. Sometimes it's that beautiful thing you've been hoping for and dreaming about, some times it's a fuzzy pink bunny suit.
Check out the gallery page - Future Relics Gallery by Lori Buff
When you open an anagama kiln you might get both and everything in between. This firing was no exception. Do you want the good news first or the bad news first?
I'll start with the bad, it's nice to end on a happy note. We suspect this pile of broken pots was due to a problem with the clay causing cristobalite inversion. Only the plié of broken pots you see here are all make with either Highwater Phoenix or Aurora which are very similar clay bodies. We both had failures and success with this clay so it's hard to say with complete certainty. Although I may be inclined to try some Laguna Bmix Wood for the next firing.
I did get a few nice pieces like this hanging candle ring.
This kitchen crock came out looking pretty nice too, its got more coppery glaze on the other side but this side got photographed when it came out of the kiln.
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| Crack Pots |
I did get a few nice pieces like this hanging candle ring.
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| Hanging Candle Ring |
This kitchen crock came out looking pretty nice too, its got more coppery glaze on the other side but this side got photographed when it came out of the kiln.
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| Kitchen Crock |
Check out the gallery page - Future Relics Gallery by Lori Buff
oh so sorry for all that loss, what a bummer, but that candle ring and crock are definitely sweet.
ReplyDeleteThanks Linda, thankfully most of it is not mine and the guy who did loose most of those pots had a huge amount of pots and they were all beautiful so we are both okay about it.
DeleteJeff and I have had some issues with highwater clays and wood firing. Laguna b-mix for wood is spectacular. Even regular b-mix in wood is gorgeous. Your pots got some really nice flashing, you must be very happy!
ReplyDeleteGood tip on Bmix Michèle. Bmix wood needs to be ordered from my local clay store, but they normally have regular Bmix in stock.
DeleteI am very happy, I just lost a few mugs. No big deal.
I don't think I have ever participated in a wood firing where there wasn't some loss. You just hope for the best!
DeleteIsn't that the truth. Of course when they come out well they tend to come out really well so it's worth it.
DeleteWhat a shame. Sorry that happened.
ReplyDeleteOn the happy note, that candle hanger is majorly cool. The kitchen crock is amazing. I love those warm wood fire glazes. The pieces that made it though are fabulous.
Thanks Cindy, none of those pieces have any glaze on the outside, that's all the wood kiln working. This is why I love it and am willing to risk loosing a few pots.
Deletethe kitchen crock looks great, but OH NO, broken?
ReplyDeleteThanks Gary, luckily the crock is fine, it's just a few mugs that got broken.
DeleteWhat in the world! I have fired a few wood kilns, but never seen that many broken pieces, ugh! I saw that kind of carnage in my own kiln when a shelf broke in two, it just sinks your heart. Fortunately you do build up a tolerance to kiln disasters! The candle ring is great though:-)
ReplyDeleteI've never seen this type of breakage before either. Normally all I see are pots that fell over due to wading slipping or pots that got hit with wood. Many of these pots looked perfect when the kiln was cracked at about 300 degrees.
DeleteThanks.
we once did a wood fire where the only work that made it was 6 pieces that Mark put in. Everything else came out in pieces due to bad clay- we should have run to jobs right at that moment in time. Did we no- we were young.... it is a lesson of heart break.
ReplyDeleteOh no!!! Now that was a disaster. This is nothing in comparison. The pottery world is a better place because you and Mark stuck with it through all kinds of heart break.
ReplyDelete