Frequently asked…
Making 168 wedding bells
how do you make this Stuff?
Pottery is a painstaking series of starts and stops. Let’s take the mug, my favorite form: First I prep a small ball of clay by kneading or “wedging” it to remove air bubbles. Then I move to the wheel and “throw” my first piece. I do most of my shaping right then and there, refining the lip and the curve of the silhouette, removing weight from the bottom. I let it dry for a day or more to grow supple like firm leather, and then put it back on the wheel to “trim” off any remaining excess clay. I wait another day to apply my slip designs, as any premature handling of the pot at this point can cause warping. Next, I prep a small nub of clay and attach it near the rim, where the handle will be. I then use just water and my thumbs and fingers to “pull” the handle (imagine milking a cow!) lengthening the nub into a long strap which I will curve into a comfortable shape for your hand. Several days later, when the mug is “bone dry” it can be “bisque” fired. This can take a day or two. Did I mention pottery is slow? When the mug emerges from the kiln it will be hard, more resillient and ready to withstand glazing. I cover the slip design in glaze, then wipe it back, leaving the slip revealed and glaze in the recesses. I then continue with 3 or 4 other glaze applications. Then, back into the kiln it goes for a second firing for roughly 10 to 12 hours. A few more days pass. You still with me? Finally, the mug emerges, the bottoms are sanded and a new mug is let loose on the world.
What is soda firing?
Soda-firing is a firing technique in which sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) or sodium carbonate (soda ash) is introduced into the kiln near the end of the firing. The soda vaporizes and whirls around the interior of the kiln, reacting with the clay to create fiery, fantastical, jaw dropping color explosions and textures. Or it can result in absolutely nothing. Which can be heartbreaking, but what can I say? Life's a gamble...
Soda fired planter. Only the green and blue is actual glaze, the rest is pure soda fired magic…
Freshly slipped: Christmas ornament…or barrel cactus?