more "expirements" from the electric kiln!
the idea is to stay within the realm of what i have been working towards, while not fighting the inherent qualities of firing in an electric kiln. i am using a white midrange stoneware clay. i have been testing celedons and ash glazes with some pretty good results. i am also striving for a nice matte glaze, which is hard to acheive in an electric kiln. ugh. still shiny! even with the slow cool. anyway, i guess i'll have to keep you posted on that one.
i have always been interested in carving flowers into my pots. something i really appreciated about the salt kiln was the way the carvings came out in the fire. when i was switching gears to electric firing i was driving myself crazy trying to figure out a way to translate what i was working towards in the salt kiln to something i could love in the electric kiln.
then one day.... i found it! mishima! the answer to all my problems! mishima, in its most simple definition is inlaid clay. the process is still that of carving the flowers into the surface of the pot in the same manner in which i always have. but now i inlay the lines with slip. this creates the fine lines and hard edges that i love. and the best part is.... no rough surfaces. just a few flowers as a border on a pot might be enough for some potters, but no-no, not this one! more flowers please! this approach is great! now i can run my fork across my plate. and i can cover the pot in ash glazes and the images stay crisp! something, i couldnt achieve witha brush, lord knows i've tried.
so i threw together this little pot trying to work out the skills i need to make these things look good. this new quest is not without challenges. but i am excited and motivated and refreshed by my happenings in this little electric kiln. take this little pot as a "sketch" if you will, and stay tuned for what is to come. yay!
thanks for reading!
