Sometimes, and a little more often than comfortable, ceramic clay gives us the unexpected: the good and the bad. This week has been one of those. These amazing beads were not supposed to come out like this. )That coppery gold surface was totally unexpected!!) They were a special order, and I am so happy the buyer loved them.
My kiln over fired for the first time yesterday and I got the TLF message, meaning that it fired too long and too slow so it turned itself off. I was able to salvage some of the pieces which came out great. (see pic above) But others, no pic, are warped and slightly distorted.
Kiln over firings are just one of the chances we take making ceramics. And unexpected glaze results another. Adds to the fun and frustration of this wonderful craft. And to the time it takes to make a saleable piece.
Some new pieces I am trying out came out great and that is unexpected too, but in the nicest of ways.
Made from a steel printing block I found at that great Flea Market in Maine, I have written about before.7
This piece was planned for the Sept Challenge. I love how it turned out. An unexpected result from participating this month is that I won the Cup of Bead Soup from Lori Anderson. I am so excited!!
Oh, I hate that dread TLF message. But as you say, this is part and parcel of firing ceramics. There aren't any guarantees even when the firing goes exactly right. But it what makes opening a glaze kiln like Christmas. You did get some lovely pieces out of this.
ReplyDeleteHi Mary, i would love to be a fly...well mayb not a fly they land on gross stuff...but some sort of incognito thing and watch your process it amazes me how your creations turn out and i would love to see it from the very begining to the final product right from picking the sea weed from the beach LOL
ReplyDeletettfn Lanaa :)
Yupp....... that is the glorious thing with the ceramic....not 100% control there :)
ReplyDeletesometimes it can almost make You cry but most of the time it makes You smile :~)
I DO understand the buyer loved those beads ...they are just GORGEOUS!! what a fantastic glace !!
lovely pieces, mary, really baroque-ish
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