I actually hate being rushed. Sometimes deadlines are the only way I keep moving though. This kiln load of pots were made on the ragged edge of my time and energy. I am so pleased that I am getting better at working through that kind of tough. Last year I blew a heap of pots up and ruined others. This year I just plodded away and still managed to enjoy the work. This firing was nerve wracking. I put so many beautiful time consuming pots into the kiln. I did the glaze firing in a bit of a hurry so I could be done in time to take my son to swim lessons.
The kiln went rogue on me and started reducing. An atmospheric change where there is more gas than air and flames come out the chimney. I caught it pretty quickly and adjusted but I wasn’t sure how all my carefully applied underglaze designs that need oxidation would turn out.
I was very relieved to open it and discover most of the colours were still there just a little subtler. The yellows were the only ones that burnt out completely and the reduction did lovely things for a dark clay I had in there. Phew !
I still use my teacher Paddy Bambling’s Celadon as a clear glaze. Over the years I have reduced the iron content to hardly anything but it made me feel a little nostalgic to discover it still gives the gentlest green tinge under reduction conditions. Might be a thread I need to pull.
