Well I hadn’t posted much from the last firing yet so here is a decent update from the things that came out. I fired probably 30 pieces. 20 of which are miniature bonsai pots which are really cool. They came out very nicely with the texture and distressing the glaze.
The first of these pots will ship in a very nice tin. We picked up a few tins for another project that never panned out. It will make a very nice statement.
The other stuff that I made turned out pretty well too. The experiments with iron oxide were very pleasing. I now know that I don’t want to put this stuff on a rim but creating a rim below the lip could create a beautiful break in the glaze. I like things that have a juxtaposition like a straight line on an irregular pinched cup for example. Pinholing is better but STILL a problem even while firing on the slowest setting, 30 minutes soak AND with inserting the second plug to slow the cooling process. Time to dig into the kiln manual to see if I can slow down cooling even further. If I can get to temperature fast and cool at a controlled rate maybe that will help.
The Etsy store is coming along sloooooooowly. I want to get a logo together and put something quick together with one of the freebie sites. I like it a lot but if the pottery name is going to be FireCrown Pottery then it needs to be a crown of FIRE! And it needs to be small enough to go on a makers mark stamp. So I’m looking for someplace to work with me on the logo.
Another experiment that its nearly impossible to photograph is attempted below. I bisqued to cone 04 and then heavily applied iron oxide to the inside and outside of the bowl. I fired to cone 6 and left it for a while. Then I decided to see how iron oxide reacted under the glaze. I heavily applied the white glaze and refired with the rest of the load. For some reason it comes out where the white glaze completely disappears where it is heavily saturated with iron oxide. I don’t know where the glaze actually goes but it gives the most beautiful sheen and leaves the texture of the clay in tact. Almost like wood fired piece. I need to talk to my supplier to see what the interaction with the iron oxide and the glaze actually is. I like it a lot and want do more of this. If it ends up being the same with just a clear glaze I have a good path forward to work in black and white using clay body and slip only. More hakeme!
FireCrown Pottery 