In Mourning..

[preeta]

... for the lack of access to ^10R glazes.

 

i am currently in two clay places. community college with ^5 (rare reduction fires). friends got me two months with a local potters studio focusing on throwing and having access to her 40 or so ^10 reduction glazes (4 or 5 tenmokus and 8 to 10 shinos). i have learnt so much more in 2 months than i have in the last year in the community college.

 

(however i am not complaining because my proff. gives me far more freedom to try all my experiments for which i am deeply grateful, even if he has to at times laugh out loud and shake his head. he has never said no or forbidden me.)

 

i have been focused on throwing and just this week i spent the whole class at the studio just studying the glazes and finding out how to use them. the whole principles and philosophy of ^10R is so different than ^5 electric. while there are commonalities, but its all so different. 

 

i just love all the variegated surfaces. i can finally make the kind of cup my daughter has been waiting for. 

 

there are no commercial studio around here that offers ^10R firings. only ^6 electric. rare group opportunities (recently our lone group wood firing was cancelled). 

 

i mourn the lack of funds to let me go on with the studio classes. i mourn the ^10R experiments i wont be able to conduct. 

 

i have often wondered how many of you have had to settle for second best due to lack of access or other reasons. 

 

so grateful to have clay in my life. always. 

[Mark C.]

Consider this a real treat

(local potters studio focusing on throwing and having access to her 40 or so ^10 reduction glazes (4 or 5 tenmokus and 8 to 10 shinos). i have learnt so much more in 2 months than i have in the last year in the community college.)

 

Having access to a working potters studio is a glimpse into what is possible .

​The real world is always an eye opener.

[Marcia Selsor]

I agree with Mark. Working professionals can offer a more focused experience of the profession. Community colleges are rarely focusing on that. It can offer you the opportunity to experiment more because of the access to a wider range of chemicals etc. because an individual does not usually keep such an array in a studio.It is the educational experience and should be broader in a sense. Professional art schools do focus more of going into it as a professional but it is still an educational venue.Many places offer apprentices for their students to work with professional potters. I was able to do that for my students in Montana. I think I learned more teaching for decades and firing 4 R glaze kilns weekly and working closely with my students. I also ran a studio pottery for several years in between before full time teaching..I have been retired from teaching for 16 years now working in my own studio.I have 3 various sizes of Electric kilns and 3 sizes of raku kilns.

 

I lowered our reduction firings to ^6 in 1980 and worked for years developing beautiful glazes that looked the same as ^10.

When I retired I did not have a reduction kiln, but by that time I was already into alternative firings. When I moved to Texas, I spent a few years working on ^6 Oxidation glazes for functional pieces. I finally was satisfied with the result which are posted in my gallery under forum discussions.Many of my potter friends were very helpful in teaching me about firing down. I appreciated that.

I still lean more towards alternative firing and am totally but I do ^6 firings every so often. I don't consider second best.I have always been an experimenter. I do participate in wood firings when the opportunity is there. When I was in Spain studying traditional folk potters, they all did low fire wood firing.The same was true when I was studying potters in Central Asia. The range of work was very reflective of the local resources. So, you have to make it with whatever you have available.

Marcia

[Denice]

I started studying C6 glazes in the 70's,  I was in college and Richard Zakin had published his first book on C6 clays and glazes.  During this time period natural gas prices had sky rocketed and the college limited the gas reduction firings.  They had neighborhood, and enviromental groups trying to end the wood, salt and soda firings.  The compromise was to start firing in the evening and through the night.  I decided that C6 glazes were the future of ceramics, I still believe that.  Working with oxidation glazes is not for wimps it is very challenging, getting that cool iron spot look with reduction is easy.  Cone 6 glazes have been researched and developed over the last 50 years and several books have been published lately that can help you navigate them. The clay you use also makes a big difference in your results, iron spots in a clay body will be pulled to the surface by many C6 glazes.   I belong to a forum "Electric Cone 6 & Other Ways w Clay"  It cost $10 to join for you can look for free, it could be a lot of help. Denice

[glazenerd]

Denice:

 

The more I study and experiment with clay bodies: the more I believe they play a larger role than the commonly accepted variables. Most know iron content in clay will change a glaze color: but I suspect most do not realize that alumina, titanium, and magnesium will also effect glaze outcome. Even clay body fluxes can influence glaze outcome: both in appearance and in glaze flow. After working with crystalline glaze for years: I came to the conclusion the only variable I had no control over was the porcelain clay body. Once I began changing the body, there was a corresponding and dramatic change in crystal formation/size. Many see my views as extreme, but I have also come to the belief that clay has more influence on pin-holing than glaze. The pottery industry only consumes 3% of the clays, silica, and other minerals produced: which also means the quality of materials are often times sub-par. Spent the last two years studying clay, and almost the entire last year exclusively testing clay bodies. Clay/s can be perfected just like any glaze formula for specific uses, mechanical attributes, or even "self glaze" if someone so chooses.

 

Nerd

 

Edit: by the way, I fully expect to see yet another shift in pottery to cone 2-3 firings. I have already been doing some research on the clay side of this issue: and will probably play with some small test batches (500grams) over the winter. As electricity and element replacement costs become more and more of an issue: these issues will force a certain amount of change.Cone 2-3 still has enough heat to vitrify both clay and glaze: which means functional ware could still be made.

[SydneyGee]

I am really excited to take my third semester in ceramics this spring. We do ^6 reduction primarily, but frequently offer raku, ^6 ox electric, pit-firings, wood firings, and saggar. When I took ceramics three years ago, I hardly even knew what I was putting on my clay, let alone the type of firing we did! I have a plan to pay more attention to the glaze making and firing process, as once next semester is over I will most likely set up my own home studio.

 

I want to get more into the glaze scene, as a lot of my glaze tests end up mixed due to the batches of glaze not being monitored. There is so much variation from batch to batch, firing to firing, it can be hard in a school studio setting. Take the knowledge you can get and do extra research on the side! (:

[neilestrick]

Cone 10 reduction is not better, just different. I've spent years doing both cone 10 reduction and cone 6 oxidation, and I must say that my nicest work and most beautiful glazes have all come from cone 6. Cone 6 does have its limitations, but so does cone 10. Color development is much easier at cone 6, but warm iron tones like shino are easier in reduction. They can be done at 6, though. Start learning to formulate glazes or at least search for recipes for cone 6 and you'll find that there's a whole world of possibilities.

[Guest JBaymore]

............ but I have also come to the belief that clay has more influence on pin-holing than glaze.

 

This has been well known in the 'tech circles' for a long time.  You are correct. 

 

And the setup for this issue is typically in the BISQUE firing..... but only shows up in the glaze firing.  So most assume it is a glaze issue.

 

best,

 

..............john

[glazenerd]

John:

 

Thank you for the confirmation: always good to hear others have drawn the same conclusion.

 

Now to get the industry to rethink their firing cycles: stop trying to perfect a glaze, and mature the clay first. Most fast ramp bisque up to their 2190 +/- hold temps with a soak: which also blows through the most critical temps for clay maturity (2050-2180F) If they would slow down from 2050F to 2190F: vitrification would be much higher, and enough time is given for off gassing before the porous body begins to close up. Need to do it rather firing cone 6 or 10.

 

Note: by maturing the clay with this cycle, it will automatically mature the glaze.

 

2050F spinel begins to form from meta-kaolin ( and excess silica is ejected ) -  where free silica comes from it too much is in the clay body.

2050F to 2180F : spinel formations go through a phase change to mullite.  The slower you go, the more mullite forms in stoneware. More mullite means more vitrification,; which means no weeping. If you still have weeping following this cycle, that means the flux levels in the clay body is insufficient. The only remedy then is to fire a cone higher, or dip the bisq piece into a sodium solution until it absorbs enough to achieve vitrification at the designated cone.

 

Nerd

 

Anyone know where I can buy a tech circle? 

[Denice]

Nerd I hope you are right about the interest in C2-3 glazes.  I was making exterior tile murals for a while that were low fire red terracotta bisque fired to 02 and glaze with C1 Majolica glaze.  I have a few C2-3 formulas that I have tested but I would like to see more.   Denice

[preeta]

Nerd the two professional potters i know (one of whom uses commercial glazes) both pay a large chump of change to have their special formulated clay shipped from alfred. 

 

yes ^2- 3 is the temp of the future. here they are testing ^2- 3 for dinnerware for restaurant quality use. 

 

as to making clay bodies - it is a far cry in my universe. i wouldnt even know where to begin. that does not play a part at all anywhere. i have thought about clay composition, but with my circumstances i think its not attainable during this life time. if anything changes i'd jump at it. all my knowledge comes from reading your discussions here. 

 

Mark I have been keeping my eyes and ears open. i even look at the wares being made for the christmas sale. the focus on the business side. i will have the chance to help out with the sales so even more exposure to the business side of things. it has taught me what kinds of wares to make for the holiday student sale which will only happen next year. 

 

Marcia i see what you are saying. and it makes me look at my opportunities with different eyes. and yes i am an experimenter too. and just from that aspect i see the difference in philosophy between the school studio and professional potter's studio and i understand why that difference exists. it really is about what opportunities i get. as long as i have a challenge i live and breathe. the moment that is gone, i can fall into depression. 

 

Neil you are correct. ^10R is just different, not better. Today we did our first ^6R this semester. i had a few experimental pieces and they came out fantastic. the best reduction firing in a long time. i learnt a lot about the kiln and placement. it actually reduced correctly. i prefer earthy tones. but school studio prefers bright colours. that's why reduction is not more than twice a semester here. 

 

Denice thank you for the heads up. i plan to get into glaze firing in fall next year. right now i am devouring all the books and articles i  can lay my hands on. on. right now i need to focus on getting my throwing more refined. i find i dont have enough time to do both in one semester. there are already bisqued pieces i will not get to this semester. 

 

sydney wow. all those firings. its mainly just ^5 electric here with 2 reductions and 2 raku firings here. however due to the huge choice at school i have to give myself some limitations or i get overwhelmed just thinking about glazes. so this semester it has been take the colours that i dont like or are blah and see if i can do something nice with it. and i discovered in the right setting those colours can look amazing. i couldnt believe when pink appeared in our school studio. so the pink glaze was one of my challenges to myself this semester. and while i had quite a few failures, some were spectacular. very textily. like silk kimonos. and cherry blossoms. i would never have thought i would like pink.