Firing and misfires

Birdhouse after bisque firing

 Well, back to the clay for a bit. I need to spin that batt, and then decide how much, if any, of the wool is worth saving. Mine is not a long attention span. I am a serial process junkie. First there is inspiration, then the learning (often years long), then the practicing, then on to the next thing. It's not something I'm proud of, but a hard thing to fight. Some things are just written into our DNA. I'm feeling like I need to get out the clay biz just now. I've had a good five years of working on this. I even joined a community studio while we were in Australia. But still, it's more disappointment than progress.

First the good news. I'm liking the birdhouse. I really like the form, the design is clever (the base fits inside the house so I can remove it easily for cleaning), and it came out of the bisque firing in good shape. Of course I agonized over how to glaze it, but I'm even pretty ok with that. Well. Not completely, but it's not an embarrassment.

Birdhouse front on base

The flowers on the front are more purple than dark red (mixing underglazes is a crap shoot if you don't test first!), but that's ok. I used a diluted underglaze over the non-roof portions of it to accentuate the texture, then sponged it off, let it dry, and put on a single coat of Klaus Hard White. The base and roof are glazed with a new glaze from Amaco called Muddy Waters. Bmix cone 5-6, all fired to cone 5. 

I won't be able to mount it until after the birds all leave the current house, but that's ok. I need to get a wood base and paint it. 

 

 

Amazingly I remembered to put holes in the base of the house for screws. I am really pleased with the texture on all sides of the house.

Birdhouse side

Birdhouse Back

The bad news is that my two thrown pieces are so disappointing. They are English Grolig Porcelain. Shrinkage was more than I expected, though I guess that isn't too surprising with porcelain. The real disappointment is that I just don't like them. I love the way the porcelain fires for wall pieces. Very white and stark. But in these pieces, it's too white. Too stark. It needs the complexity of form that I had in the wall pieces. Or it needs to be thrown much thinner, which is currently beyond my capacity. They will eventually end up in the landfill, but I can't bring myself to do that just yet.

Porcelain Cup

After 66 years of life, I have learned to try for perfection, knowing full well that it is neither attainable, or worth going too far for. Perfection truly is the enemy of good, as one of the academic advisors warned me. It was good advice, but right now, these pieces are just too far from "good". So I'll continue to aim for perfection, know that if I end up with good, I'll content myself with that.

 

       

 

Plate with accidental moodiness

Plate with more light control in the photo