Tuesday, March 31, 2020

The Magic of the Kiln

This is how am I am dealing with the stay at home venue that Covid 19 has presented us all. I am working in my studio here in Sedona, AZ. What else does one do? My galleries have closed but we all hope things will reopen....eventually.
These are newly glazed, porcelain pieces being loaded into the kiln. You can see how low the first shelf actually is. This is the biggest, most powerful electric kiln I could purchase. It stands about three and a half feet tall, so it is a reach down for me. I got it many years ago and have rewired it often.On the inside you can see  the electric " elements" that heat up, as I gradually make adjustments. Nope, No computer here. I am the master of the firing . 
I always need more mountain mugs, so they fit nicely around the large bowl. These items are dipped in what will turn out to be a nice turquoise color.I also have some lovely white bowls in this load. What exactly they will turn out like will be up to the kiln gods. I will not see the results until about 20 hours later . When it gets over 2000 degrees it is best to cool slowly, so nothing cracks from rapid temperature changes.Next step...the magic.