yappystudent

Finally was able to fire the new kiln yesterday.   Would not fire...just gave  a strange error message.  The problem was the  Genesis controller was wired incorrectly.  With help from Steve at Bartlett...changed 2 wires and it fired right up.  

1000 Miles Apart Ceramics Conference in Calgary this weekend. I haven't spent this much time watching demos in a looong time!

New kiln arrived and is in place.  Got the kiln vent installed too.  If the pending hurricane doesn't drop too much water on us...should  be able to test fire soon.
 

I'm into the last round of making pieces for the anagama firing in the fall. (I get in through public access to the Community Education Program, providing space available. This is the gorgeous large kiln that John Baymore built w/ NHIA students..it is such a rush to see it in action! )

I put a few items from my recent fire in the Gallery. Happy happy. 

So excited My first regional entry and one of my submissions has been chosen.
 

How is everyone? It has been a while. Just wanted to check in and say I love and miss you all! Fired my kiln today. First time in 8 months I have even touched a pot. Made me realize how much I miss this community. Hope everyone's pots are great and their glazes are perfection!

So excited I can barely contain myself.  Kiln is ordered!!!! Space is ready for it!!!!  Been a long time coming.
 

Yee haw----1843 and climbing--never gets old.

Yesterday on a maybe 8" diameter sphere I outlined my family, from the back, in black underglaze. I'll deliver it to the kiln tomorrow, and if it doesn't crack, I will need to decide what we five will all be looking at. I am thinking maybe Haystack Rock. It will be a centerpiece on a lazy Susan.

Finally, going to take the plunge and buy my first kiln.  I am feeling a little scared....I have some  experience firing someone else's kiln...but it has been a few years.  
My space in the basement is all wired, got a great vent area....the house had an old oil furnace removed 30- 30 years ago, but the chimney still has the vent and the opening is close to where the kiln is going.  

Last night was the first time I have found myself working in the studio in the middle of the night, up out of bed at midnight and impatient to try something.  After two hours I was back in bed. Lucky today isn't a teaching day!

Taking my little demo kiln to Art in the Beartooths on Sat. for our art center's annual fundraiser. I will be firing saggars and obvara. The top piece will be auctioned off. Looking like nice cool weather for the event. Enjoy your weekend.
 

I've been largly out of commission due to having my work table break and having to save up and wait for a new one to arrive. I got it today and it is great--5' instead of 4, and much stronger.  Yee haw! 

This morning did a quick acrylic painting of a reclining rhino (a first for me), to prepare my eye to make a large wall tile with shallow relief of a rhino.

The plug is installed. Now to cut the cement board. 

I have chosen an electrician. ***confetti***

I have chosen an electrician. ***confetti***

Ordered my first kiln, the KM818 from Skutt. 240v configuration. 4-6wks. Yay! (I hope). Thanks to all for their input on my choice. 

Hi! I ended up here because of your heading "single firing an electric kiln to ^6! I used to visit your area (Antietam and Shepherdstown) frequently when I lived in Maryland. Now I live on an island 10 miles off the coast of Maine where electricity costs 70 cents a KWH!!!! Unfortunately I am addicted to making ceramics.
Luckily I can sell my pots through a co-op here in the summer. Between  costs for boat freight for clay and  electricity,   I don't know if I could afford to sell at wholesale.
As you can surmise, it would be fantastic to be able to save a firing for each piece. Did it take you a long time to figure out how to successfully once-fire?

So I'm buying a kiln. Probably a Skutt from Georgie's. How do you like them bananas?

Mixed up two clay bodies (50/50)for fellow potter who is 83 yr old.Its 500# and I will drop it off to her in next few days .It less than a two hour job with the Peter pugger.I do this every year for her.I hope someone does it for me when I'm 83.

Just peeked in my kiln full of test tiles with wood ash mixtures, pastes, and soda washes. Some very very promising results. Can't wait for the next 250F to cool so I can open that beast and spend days looking at every inch of every tile! It has been way too long since I have run a kiln load full of tiles. 

This is the week of shipping one mug at a time-its brutal

The way I approach creating now is so radically different from how I approached it in the past. To a much appreciated extent, I am discovering the continuation of Self, which s a good thing, however slowly I get on with it.