Prepping

Two big things are on my radar at Clayworks over the next 6 days. The first is this Saturday --- Barrel Firing #9. At least I think it's Number 9, Number 9. Whatever the number, I've been feeling pressure to make more barrel-fired birds for upcoming sales. We'll be doing a saggar firing in the raku kiln as well. (New to me.) So tonight at Clayworks we were getting ready.

Elaine hard-burnished three of her bottles. I love the elegance in her forms. There's an organic simplicity to her work that I'm continually drawn to.

I can't wait to see how Amy's pendants fare in the barrel & in the raku firing. She has three other pieces to raku on Saturday. Amy's enthusiasm ( and the results she's been achieving) never fail to inspire me. (And I love that Vols tee-shirt, Amy!)

Naturally, I have a flock of terra-sig birds going into the barrel/saggar firing. They joined Elaine's bottles in the ^010 bisque tonight. But there's also a gas kiln firing coming up this Tuesday. And tonight I finished the surface deco on the last of 4 parietal art bottles...just in time to get them bisqued before Saturday...when I'll be able to glaze them as the sawdust in BF #9 burns down.

Several cave art test tiles will go in to the gas kiln along with the bottles. All are new experiments...different clay bodies, mason stains, slips for the creatures rather than underglazes. While I like many of the results I've been getting with the cave art pieces, I'm still seeking that certain something. Hopefully I might "stumble on it" in this next firing.