Chinese Blue test

 In my quest to come up with a glaze recipe that is as close to the old Chinese Blue used by the Jugtown Pottery era of the Busbees, and Ben Owen Pottery, I have made, and fired, several tests. Despite having a chemical analysis of the original from the 1980's, its been a challenge even using glaze calculation software. And what I have found is that the test I had formulated back when I was working for Ben, III shows the most promise. There is still the need to tweak the recipe, for various reasons, but I feel that I am close to something that will be satisfactory. Here is a cup that I just got out of my wood/gas conversion kiln. The one thing I have noticed in doing these various tests is the importance that wood firing plays in achieving the color of Chinese Blue.

Cups of Contemplation

 This wood-fired kurinuki sake sake cup will be exhibited in "Cups of Contemplation, being held in the Gallery of Art and Design, University of Southern Mississippi. The dates of this exhibition are October 14th through November 7th, 2024.

Wood - Soda - Salt

 This sculptural piece, Fragment, will be exhibited in "Wood Soda Salt", an exhibition of atmospheric fired ceramics, being held at the University of Wyoming Art Museum. This exhibition runs September 3rd through November 29th, 2024. The art museum is located in the Centennial Complex, 2111 E. Willett Drive, Laramie, Wyoming.

First Firing

 The inaugural firing of my small down-draft kiln is now history. Overall it went very well and I was pleased how even it fired from top to bottom, front to back. It required less wood than I had anticipated. Here are some images depicting various stages.

 

The interior of the kiln with shelves stacked and pieces set; a few went onto the top of the side bag walls.

The door being stacked. Lettering/numbering the brick aid in re-stacking the same the next firing.

Cone packs.

       Propane tanks in place, along with the burners, to pre-heat the kiln over night.

Wood stacked for stoking.

Low burner flame overnight.

 

After pre-heating over night, with the interior temperature reaching 270 degrees, I began fires outside of the coal areas. Eventually I was able to start stoking wood into the fireboxes.

 

 

 In-between stokes!

Kiln Update

 FINITO!!! The stoke hole doors are now in place; the kiln is now ready to fire! The doors are designed to open and then swing so that the hotface is away from the person stoking the wood.

 

Old Church Cup Show

 This kurinuki sake cup, glazed in oribe, was selected for exhibition in "In Hand", juried by Bruce Dehnert. The show will be held at The Art School at Old Church's Mikhail Zakin Gallery from May 10th - June 14th, 2024. There will be an opening reception on May 11th, 6-9 pm. The address is 561 Piermont Road, Demarest, NJ.

Kiln Update

 A peek at the kiln doors being fabricated for the small down-draft. Excellent work by Jesse Ryan of Florence Welding.